A law student from Gautam Buddha University has approached the Supreme Court after being served a preventive notice to maintain peace. Despite the Noida police labeling the notice as 'flawed' and canceling it, the student seeks accountability for the baseless allegations.

  • Akshat Tripathi, a BA LLB student, was asked to execute a Rs 5 lakh bond under BNSS.
  • Noida Police later revoked the notice, admitting it was 'flawed' and initiated departmental action.
  • The student has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court to question the basis of the notice.

Akshat Tripathi, a second-year BA LLB student at Gautam Buddha University in Noida, is seeking answers from the administration regarding a preventive notice issued against him. Tripathi, who serves as the secretary of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) unit at the university, was ordered to provide a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh to maintain public peace.

The notice stemmed from a police report alleging that Tripathi was spreading "anti-government and misleading statements" among students, potentially disrupting public order. This action followed a protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20, where Tripathi was reportedly injured during a lathicharge. However, the student has presented a strong alibi, stating he had not visited the campus since May 25 and was interning at the Allahabad High Court during the period he was accused of instigating students.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this incident highlights a worrying trend of using preventive legal tools to target student activists. When the state issues notices based on mere suspicion without verifiable evidence, it creates a chilling effect on the fundamental right to protest and freedom of speech.

The transition from CrPC to BNSS should not lead to a dilution of due process or the arbitrary exercise of magisterial powers.

In his writ petition filed in the Supreme Court, Tripathi argued that the authorities failed to disclose the material evidence against him, violating the basic requirement of informing a person about the substance of the information used to proceed against them. He questioned how such a notice could be issued two months after the event occurred.

The Noida Police eventually stepped in, issuing a statement that the notice—issued under Sections 126 and 135 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)—was cancelled on September 5, 2026, after senior officials found it to be flawed. The police further clarified that the District Magistrate was not involved, as the notice was issued by the Office of Magistrate III under the commissionerate system.

Did You Know?: The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) is the new procedural law that replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in India to modernize the criminal justice system.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why did Akshat Tripathi move the Supreme Court if the notice was already cancelled?
Tripathi wants to establish the legal basis and reasons why the notice was issued in the first place, as he believes the allegations were fabricated and baseless.

2. What are the implications of Sections 126 and 135 of the BNSS?
These are preventive measures that allow executive magistrates to demand a bond from individuals to ensure they maintain peace and good behavior.