SC quashes FIR against senior journalist Ashish Dave

The Supreme Court of India has quashed the FIR filed against senior journalist Ashish Dave, former Regional Head of Zee Rajasthan, expressing strong displeasure over the manner in which the Rajasthan Police handled the case. The hearing took place on Friday, 27 February 2026.

The court described the registration of the FIR for alleged blackmail and extortion as “shocking” and not in accordance with basic legal procedures. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta emphasised that the investigating officer should have conducted a preliminary inquiry before registering the complaint. The bench noted that the FIR did not present any specific or substantial allegations of extortion or abuse of position that warranted immediate legal action.

The bench criticised the Rajasthan Police, suggesting the FIR appeared to have been filed because the complainant was an influential media company. The court questioned whether the police would have acted with similar haste if an ordinary citizen had filed the same complaint, stressing that the law applies equally to all, regardless of influence or position.

The judges added that if necessary, they would make serious observations on police conduct, highlighting the need for fairness and discretion in registering cases, standards that were not met in this instance.

The FIR had been lodged at the Ashok Nagar police station in Jaipur following complaints by Zee Media against Dave and others, alleging fraud, criminal breach of trust, and misconduct. Dave had earlier sought anticipatory bail in the district and sessions court, which was rejected, and subsequently approached the Rajasthan High Court.

The High Court had refused to quash the FIR, noting that media professionals are expected not to cause undue harm through threats or extortion, and instructed the Jaipur Police to complete the investigation within six weeks.

Challenging the High Court order, Dave appealed to the Supreme Court.