Supreme Court stays proceedings against gym owner ‘Mohammad’ Deepak Kumar in rioting case

On August 31, 2026, the Supreme Court stayed criminal proceedings against Kotdwar-based gym owner Deepak Kumar, also known as 'Mohammad' Deepak, who faced charges of rioting following an altercation with Bajrang Dal workers over a shop's name. The court also dismissed a March 20, 2026 order by the Uttarakhand High Court that had restricted Kumar from making social media posts about the incident.

In February 2026, Kumar confronted a group of right-wing activists who had allegedly harassed a 71-year-old Muslim shop owner, demanding he rename his store. Kumar's confrontation with the activists came five days after he told the crowd his name was "Mohammad Deepak." A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta granted interim relief and stayed the proceedings while awaiting the response of the Uttarakhand government on Kumar's petition challenging the High Court's refusal to quash the First Information Report (FIR).

Kumar's lawyer argued that a rioting case against his client was not substantiated, as the essential elements of the offense were lacking. The lawyer also criticized the High Court's directive restraining Kumar from posting about the incident on social media, stating it amounted to a "blanket gag order." The Supreme Court's decision followed Kumar's claim that the police had failed to act on his complaints, despite having evidence, including videos and details of those involved.

The High Court had previously dismissed Kumar's requests for police protection, an FIR against those allegedly involved, and a departmental inquiry against police officials, alleging that the reliefs sought were attempts to sensationalize the issue and interfere with the ongoing investigation.