Sedition, UAPA, obscenity, and public order laws were repeatedly invoked against journalists, artists, and academicians
The courts often stepped in to grant bail or protection, but the prolonged investigations and FIRs continued to exert pressure.
Space for free expression across media, academia, and popular culture shrunk was limited in 2025
Journalists
Pogadadanda Revathi, Managing Director of Pulse News, and Thanvi Yadav, a reporter with the same channel, was arrested in March by Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police over a video containing allegedly derogatory remarks against Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. They were booked under charges including obscenity, organised crime, conspiracy, and inciting hatred. Although initially granted bail, re-arrest orders were upheld by the High Court and later stayed by the Supreme Court in October.
Digital journalist and assistant secretary of Guwahati Press Club Dilwar Hussain Mozumder was arrested for covering a demonstration against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. The senior journalist was charged by the Kamrup Chief Magistrate Court on March 26 for violating the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. On March 25, journalists led a protest march from the Press Club of India to the police station and court premises, demanding Mozumder’s unconditional release. He was granted bail later that evening.
Siddharth Varadarajan, founding editor of The Wire faced an FIR in August in Assam under BNS Section 152 (sedition) for an article analysing Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam attack. The Supreme Cour stepped in to grant him protection from coercive action.
Writers / Satirists/Academics
Neha Singh Rathore, folk singer and YouTuber, was charged with sedition in April at Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station over social media posts on the Pahalgam terror attack. The posts featured alleged intelligence failures. Rathore was also accused of targeting a religious community. She was booked under BNS provisions for promoting sectarian animosity, disturbing public peace, and the IT Act. In December, the Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) rejected her anticipatory bail plea.
Madri Kakoti is assistant professor with the University of Lucknow, popularly known as Dr Medusssa. She was booked on April 29 at the Hasanganj police station for alleged satirical posts questioning the government and media's response to the Pahalgam attack. She was granted anticipatory bail on June 9.
Arundhati Roy: In August 2025, the Jammu & Kashmir government banned her book Azadi among 25 titles, alleging they promoted “anti-India” narratives. PEN America was among those who condemned the move, calling it an assault on free expression. She also faced criticism for the cover image of her memoir, which depicts the author smoking a beedi (a thin cigarette). A PIL was filed in the Kerala High Court alleging that the image violated India's tobacco control laws and sent a "damaging message" to society, particularly young women. Later, the Supreme Court intervened and rejected a plea to prohibit the sale of Arundhati Roy's book.
In May 2025, Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor at Ashoka University, was arrested from his home in Delhi. Haryana police arrested him over his social-media posts on Operation Sindoor. His arrest drew criticism from scholars and civil-liberties advocates as part of a broader discussion on dissent. In mid-July, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail to allow the investigation to proceed.
Stand-Up Comedians
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra faced three FIRs in March over jokes targeting former Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde during a comedy show. The cases were transferred to Mumbai’s Khar police station. A court granted him interim relief, directing him to cooperate with the investigation. No arrest was reported.
Stand-up comedian Samay Raina was named alongside influencer and content creator Ranveer Allahbadia and others in FIRs linked to the India’s Got Latent controversy. The complaints alleged promotion of obscene and sexually explicit content on a publicly accessible platform. The Supreme Court, while noting that investigations were ongoing, allowed Allahbadia to resume his podcast under strict conditions of “morality and decency,” underscoring the seriousness of the allegations involving the show and its creators.
