The Supreme Court has stayed the controversial paragraphs of the Allahabad High Court’s verdict dated Sep 02, 2026, in HCWP No. 960/2026, whereby the High Court had awarded Rs. 5 lakhs compensation, directed recovery from the salaries of officials involved in the detention process, and ordered that adverse remarks be recorded in their service records. The stay was ordered, granting targeted interim relief till the matter is heard on merits, with the Solicitor General of India appearing alongside Senior Counsels for both sides, a configuration that immediately signals public-interest and state-level stakes well beyond a private criminal dispute.
A Two-Judge Bench comprising Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh stayed the operation of the Allahabad High Court that has quashed NSA detention of student activist, finds authorities acted without application of mind, warns against arbitrary executive power. The Bench also granted leave to file the Special Leave Petition and directed issuance of notice to all respondents, with specific directions for service through Standing Counsels for respondents 2 and 3. Along with the stay, the Apex Court has listed the matter for further hearing on October 7, 2026.
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Briefly, Akriti Chaudhary, a Delhi University graduate and student activist, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) following labour unrest and workers’ protests in Noida. The State alleged that she played a role in instigating violence, arson, and public disorder during the agitation. Challenging her detention through a habeas corpus petition, Chaudhary contended that she had been illegally picked up prior to the incidents attributed to her, that the official version contained significant inconsistencies, and that the invocation of the NSA was unsupported by credible material.
The Allahabad High Court examined the circumstances of her arrest, detention, and the material relied upon by the authorities. Finding serious discrepancies in the State’s narrative and the detention process, the Court quashed the NSA detention order, directed payment of compensation, and delivered strong observations on the constitutional duties of civil servants.
