Supreme Court Refuses to Intervene in Journalist's Petition Against Ahmedabad Crime Branch Notice The Supreme Court has declined to intervene in a petition filed by journalist Ravi Nair, who challenged a summons notice issued by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch. The notice, dated February 12, was linked to an article co-authored by Nair titled “India’s $3.9 billion plan to help Modi’s mogul ally after U.S. charges,” published in The Washington Post. The court directed Nair’s legal team to approach the Gujarat High Court instead of the Supreme Court. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta permitted Nair to withdraw his petition without addressing his oral request for protection against potential coercive actions. The petitioner, represented by senior advocate Anand Grover and advocate Paras Nath Singh, argued that the notice aimed to criminalize journalistic work conducted in good faith and in the public interest. The petition claimed the article revealed how Indian officials drafted a proposal in May 2025 to channel approximately $3.9 billion in investments to Adani Group businesses from the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), a state-owned entity responsible for life insurance for poor and rural families. Nair’s legal team asserted that the February 12 notice sought to criminalize his reporting, which was based on internal documents from LIC and the Indian Department of Financial Services (DFS), interviews with officials, and insights from three Indian bankers. All sources spoke anonymously due to fears of professional retaliation. The petition emphasized that Nair and his co-author had followed due diligence, reviewing documents in line with journalistic standards. They also sought responses from the Adani Group, LIC, DFS, and the Prime Minister’s Office.#supreme_court #adani_group #ahmedabad_crime_branch #ravi_nair #gujarat_high_court
