6 days ago
Journalist alleges UP police sought sources over temple reports
Journalist Abhishek Upadhyay says police wanted information from his X account.
He believes they wanted to find the people who gave him information about alleged missing donations at the Ram Temple.
He says the request covered digital records beginning June 1, 2026.
The requested information could include internet records, phone details, location data and device information.
Upadhyay says he published a report about the alleged theft on June 7.
He is also facing a road-rage case in Ghaziabad.
He says that case was created to punish him for his reporting.
The Supreme Court temporarily protected him from coercive action and told him to approach the Allahabad High Court.
Police have not publicly answered his allegations.
Journalist Abhishek Upadhyay alleges Ghaziabad police sought his digital records from X to identify sources for reports on alleged Ram Temple donation theft.
Upadhyay says the request covers records from June 1, 2026, including IP logs, contact details, location information and device identifiers.
He says he received information about the alleged theft in early June and published his first report on June 7, 2026.
The Supreme Court granted Upadhyay protection from coercive action and directed him to seek quashing of a road-rage FIR in the Allahabad High Court.
Uttar Pradesh Police have not responded, while claims that officers pressured businesses over CCTV footage remain unverified.
- Who
- Journalist Abhishek Upadhyay, Uttar Pradesh Police, the Supreme Court, the Uttar Pradesh government and complainant Nikki Gautam are involved.
- What
- Upadhyay alleges that police sought his digital information to trace sources for reports about alleged Ram Temple donation theft; he is also challenging a road-rage FIR.
- Where
- The FIR was registered at Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh; the reports concerned the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
- When
- Upadhyay says the requested records cover activity from June 1, 2026, and that he published his report on June 7, 2026. The Supreme Court acted on Tuesday and listed the matter for September 7.
- Why
- Upadhyay says the police action was intended to identify his sources and target him because of his investigative reporting.
Upadhyay’s allegations
Police and complainant’s account
Purpose of digital request
Upadhyay’s allegations
Upadhyay says police sought his complete digital details to identify sources who supplied information for his reports on alleged Ram Temple donation theft.
Police and complainant’s account
Uttar Pradesh Police have not publicly stated their purpose for seeking the information, so their position on this allegation is not available.
Road-rage FIR
Upadhyay’s allegations
Upadhyay denies the allegations and says the incident and FIR were staged to target him because of his reporting. He also disputes the motorcycle-registration details mentioned in the complaint.
Police and complainant’s account
Nikki Gautam alleges that a motorcycle was hit from behind by a Baleno near Shipra Mall, that the driver abused and threatened him, and that the vehicle belonged to Upadhyay.
CCTV footage
Upadhyay’s allegations
Upadhyay’s petition alleges that police personnel pressured nearby establishments to delete or withhold CCTV footage.
Police and complainant’s account
The CCTV-related allegations have not been independently established, and no police response is reported.
Key facts
- Journalist
- Abhishek Upadhyay, who runs the news portal Top Secret
- Reported subject
- Alleged irregularities and theft involving donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya
- Requested records
- Login and logout IP addresses, alternate email, mobile number, location access, device details, IMEI number, name, address and complete IP logs
- Requested period
- From June 1, 2026, according to Upadhyay
- Road-rage FIR
- Registered at Indirapuram police station over an alleged incident near Shipra Mall on August 18
- Supreme Court action
- Granted protection from coercive action, issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and directed Upadhyay to approach the Allahabad High Court
- Police response
- Uttar Pradesh Police had not responded to the allegations in the reports
Quotes
Abhishek Upadhyay
Journalist and owner of the news portal Top Secret
“From the first week of June, I have continuously brought to light one character after another in the Ram Mandir offerings theft case. They have wanted my complete ‘digital’ details exactly from that time—not before, nor after”
telegraphindia.com
“This was the very week when I received inputs related to the theft of Ram Mandir offerings, and on June 7, 2026, I broke this story. The police's intention was to file the FIR and then arrest me to track down my ‘sources’”
thehansindia.com
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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