Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam received significant verbal relief from the Supreme Court during the hearing on the preventive detention of student activist Akriti Choudhary under the National Security Act. A bench comprising Justice SC Sharma and Justice NK Singh noted that when an administrative action involves vetting and approvals from a hierarchy of officials, the district magistrate cannot be singled out as solely liable. After hearing extensive submissions from the legal counsels, the apex court reserved its judgment on the plea.
The High Court Ruling and Salary Deduction Order
The legal confrontation stems from a previous ruling by the Allahabad High Court, which quashed the detention order issued against Akriti Choudhary after deeming it wrongful. Setting a strict precedent, the High Court directed that an amount of Rs 5 lakh be deducted directly from the salary of DM Medha Roopam to be paid as compensation to the detained activist. Aggrieved by the personal financial liability and the finding holding her exclusively responsible, Medha Roopam approached the Supreme Court seeking relief against the judgment.
Arguments Detailing the Five-Tier Administrative Vetting
Representing the Uttar Pradesh government, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi explained to the court that the district magistrate did not arrive at the detention decision unilaterally. He outlined that the proposal originated through proper law enforcement channels, starting from the Station House Officer, moving through the Deputy Commissioner of Police, and reaching the Police Commissioner before any executive order was drafted. Furthermore, the advisory board established under the NSA provisions had also scrutinized the case.
Appearing on behalf of Medha Roopam, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stressed that the case file moved through a rigorous five-stage administrative procedure prior to final execution. The primary role of the DM was to form an objective opinion based strictly on the statutory procedures and records provided by the police authorities. Observing the chain of responsibility, the Supreme Court remarked that if the decision-making process spanned multiple rungs from bottom to top, it would be unfair to isolate the DM and impose the Rs 5 lakh compensation liability on her personally.
Career Profile and Administrative Background of Medha Roopam
Medha Roopam serves as the first woman District Magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar. A 2014-batch Indian Administrative Service officer, she was born in Agra and finished her schooling in Kerala. She subsequently graduated with a degree in Economics from St. Stephen's College at the University of Delhi. In the 2014 UPSC civil services examination, she secured an All India Rank of 10. Prior to her posting in Noida, she held key administrative responsibilities across several districts in Uttar Pradesh, including Bareilly, Meerut, Hapur, and Kasganj.
