The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Attorney General R Venkataramani to take steps to ensure the safety of an investigative journalist who claimed he was being stalked and attacked in connection with a corporate fraud that he was looking into, Live Law reported.

A bench headed by Chief Justice UU Lalit was hearing a petition related to a company that allegedly availed loans from 27 banks and siphoned off the money.

Jai Anant Dehadrai, the lawyer for the petitioner, submitted an affidavit about the journalist in a sealed cover, PTI reported. He said that the journalist had investigated the alleged fraud and is now facing threats. The journalist was also attacked recently on his way home in Noida, the lawyer said.

Chief Justice Lalit then sought the assistance of the attorney general in the matter.

“...There is a perception that perhaps at any given point in time, his personal security may be compromised,” the chief justice said. “We can’t disclose the name of the gentleman in form of the order because we don’t want it to be known...So therefore, we’re just giving a copy of this to you in the strictest of confidence.”

Venkataramani told the court that adequate steps would be taken to ensure the safety of the journalist and his family.

Meanwhile, the court named senior advocate Kavin Gulati as amicus curiae, or friend of court, to assist the bench in the case. The matter will be heard on November 3.