Guwahati, Aug. 28 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday granted journalist Abhisar Sharma interim protection from arrest for four weeks in a criminal case registered against him in Assam over a video questioning the state government's decision to allot 3,000 bighas of tribal land to a private cement factory.

The court asked Sharma to approach the Gauhati High Court to challenge the FIR.

A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Kotiswar Singh observed, "We will protect you, but why are you bypassing the High Court?" The bench clarified that it was not inclined to entertain the challenge to the FIR directly but provided a four-week window for Sharma to approach the high court.

The FIR was filed by a private individual after Sharma's vide...