The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued show cause notices to YouTube and Facebook officials in a contempt petition filed against them alleging that the two internet companies failed to comply with the High Court’s last month’s order to remove objectionable posts against Hindu spiritual leader Acharya Dhirendra Shastri.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
Jabalpur: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued show cause notices to key officials of YouTube and Facebook. This action comes in response to a contempt petition alleging that these prominent internet companies failed to adhere to the High Court’s previous order. This order demanded the removal of objectionable content targeting Hindu spiritual leader Acharya Dhirendra Krishna Shastri.
Justice Raj Mohan Singh, presiding over the bench, directed the notices to several high-ranking officials. These include Google LLC Managing Director Ishan Chatterjee, Google LLC (YouTube) Resident Grievance Officer Suraj Rao, Facebook Vice President and Managing Director Meta Sandhya Devanathan, and Facebook Resident Grievance Officer Meta Amrita Kaushik. The court has stipulated a seven-working-day deadline for the payment of the process fee, and the respondents are expected to return the notice within four weeks.
This legal action traces back to December 4, when the High Court, acting on a petition filed by one of Acharya Shastri’s disciples, issued stringent instructions to social media platforms, including X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, and YouTube. These platforms were ordered to eliminate content deemed defamatory and damaging to the reputation of Acharya Shastri, who is the Peethadheeshwar of Shri Bageshwar Dham in Chhatarpur.
The petitioner, Ranjit Singh Patel, argued that the circulated posts were not only defamatory but also amounted to a smear campaign against the spiritual leader. In support of these claims, the counsel for the petitioner presented various posts and news articles from online and print media, which were alleged to be derogatory.
The case, highlights the ongoing tension between freedom of expression on digital platforms and the protection of individual reputations. This move by the Madhya Pradesh High Court underscores the legal responsibilities of social media giants in moderating and removing content that is deemed defamatory or harmful, particularly against public figures and spiritual leaders. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how online platforms manage user-generated content in India, balancing the right to free speech with the need to protect individuals from slanderous and damaging online content.
Case title:
RANJIT SINGH PATEL Vs THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS
FOLLOW US ON YOUTUBE FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES
