SUPREME COURT STAYS ₹5 LAKH RECOVERY ORDER AGAINST NOIDA DM

September 24, 2026

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the operation of portions of an Allahabad High Court judgment directing recovery of ₹5 lakh from Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam’s salary in connection with the National Security Act detention of Delhi University graduate Akriti Chaudhary.

A bench of Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and N. Kotiswar Singh also stayed the High Court’s adverse observations against Roopam while issuing notice on her challenge. The matter has been listed for further hearing on October 7, with the respondents given two weeks to file their replies.

The Allahabad High Court had on September 2 quashed Chaudhary’s NSA detention and ordered ₹5 lakh compensation, directing recovery from the salaries of Roopam and other officials involved in the detention process. The High Court had criticised the grounds used for the detention and held that the material did not adequately justify invoking the NSA.

During Wednesday’s hearing, lawyers representing Roopam and the Uttar Pradesh government argued that the detention decision followed several administrative stages and that the district magistrate should not be held personally liable for the entire process. The Supreme Court has stayed the specified portions of the High Court judgment pending consideration of the case on merits