Supreme Court quashes FIR against former regional head of Zee Rajasthan in extortion case

Supreme Court quashes extortion FIR against former Zee Rajasthan head, criticising Rajasthan Police for improper registration of the case.

The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Rajasthan Police on Friday (February 27, 2026) for filing an FIR on the charges of blackmailing and extortion against the former regional head of Zee Rajasthan on a complaint from the Zee Media company, and said it was shocked at the manner in which the case was lodged.

Quashing the FIR against Ashish Dave, the former regional head of Zee Rajasthan, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the police officer investigating the case should have made an inquiry and confirmed the allegations before registering the complaint.

“We are shocked at the manner in which the FIR was registered. Which particular allegation of extortion, which particular offence of misuse of his position in the company was set out in the FIR and in the complaint, which required the police station concerned to immediately go for the registration of the FIR? Without there being any allegation at all! It is all story -- all a fictional story,” Justice Mehta observed.

The court remarked that the FIR was lodged only because the complainant (the media company) was an affluent agency.

“A common citizen, if he goes to the police station, would you register such an FIR? This FIR contained nothing. Simply because the complainant happens to be an influential agency, you registered the FIR just like that,” he said.

“We are making serious comments on the conduct of the Rajasthan Police, if you want. What is this FIR? A common citizen, if he goes to the police station, he will be thrown out for such allegations. It is a fact you cannot deny. The complainant was such privileged that for him, police opened red carpets and registered FIR. This is James Bond? Shoot first, think later?” the judge asked.