Full Breakdown
Alleged Assault of Journalist Richa Parashar During Rahul Gandhi’s Supreme Court Protest
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Alleged Assault During Supreme Court Protest
On October 12, 2026, journalist Richa Parashar, three months pregnant, reported that Rahul Gandhi “grabbed” her hand, pulled her forward and that his security personnel pushed her, causing her to fall on the Supreme Court steps. She said she suffered injuries to her hand, knees and abdomen and that her phone was broken. Parashar filed a criminal complaint with the Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, seeking registration of a First Information Report under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for assault, hurt and endangering personal safety.
Background of the October 12 Protest
The incident occurred during a march organized by the INDIA bloc to the Supreme Court to file a petition challenging the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and to demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest attracted large crowds of lawyers, journalists and opposition supporters, and the Supreme Court registry was crowded at the time.
Timeline of Key Developments
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 12, 2026 | Parashar alleges she was man-handed while covering the protest. |
| October 13, 2026 | She was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for observation. |
| October 16, 2026 | The Supreme Court bench (Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi) agreed to list the application concerning the alleged assault. |
| October 17, 2026 | Parashar lodged a formal criminal complaint with the New Delhi DCP. |
| October 26–27, 2026 | Scheduled hearing of the application. |
Official Statements & Responses
- Supreme Court – Chief Justice Surya Kant said “nobody can browbeat the judiciary” and that the bench would hear the matter on October 26 or 27.
- Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia – Stated that “a lady journalist was pushed by Rahul Gandhi in the Supreme Court precincts. She was three months pregnant and had to be hospitalised.”
- Dr Ajay Swaroop, hospital chairperson – Confirmed that Parashar’s examinations showed no major problem and that the fetus was “absolutely fit and fine.”
On-the-Ground Account
Parashar’s video, recorded from her hospital bed, includes her narration: she positioned herself near a gate inside the Supreme Court, attempted to obtain a soundbite, and was then “grabbed… and pulled forward” by Gandhi, after which his guards “pushed me away.” She also said that supporters shouted slogans, drowning out her pleas for help.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Multiple outlets reported that publicly available video footage does not clearly capture the alleged push. Congress’s Alka Lamba highlighted this discrepancy, while Parashar maintains that the incident is evident in her own recording. No independent forensic analysis of the video has been cited, leaving the factual sequence unresolved pending the Supreme Court hearing.
Verbatim Quotes
- “A lady journalist was pushed by Rahul Gandhi in the Supreme Court precincts. She was three months pregnant and had to be hospitalised,” — Gaurav Bhatia
- “I extended the mic and they made a gesture so I move it but I saw other mic IDs being pushed so I also put mine…Rahul Gandhi moved forward with a nasty expression, he grabbed my hand and pulled me forward and then his bodyguards pushed me…I fell down the stairs of Supreme Court, falling on my face,” — Richa Parashar
What’s Next
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing of the journalist’s application for October 26 (or October 27). The bench will consider whether to take cognizance of the alleged assault and may issue further directions regarding the conduct of political protests within court premises.