Today(on 23rd July),The Delhi High Court directed Google and X to remove social media posts alleging that Anjali Birla, daughter of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, cleared the UPSC exams due to nepotism. Justice Navin Chawla issued an interim order for the posts to be removed within 24 hours.
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NEW DELHI: Today(on 23rd July), The Delhi High Court has directed tech giants Google and X (formerly known as Twitter) to remove social media posts alleging that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s daughter, Anjali Birla, cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams in her first attempt due to her father’s influence. This directive came on Tuesday, with Justice Navin Chawla issuing an interim order mandating the removal of these posts within 24 hours.
In his ruling, Justice Chawla emphasized that Anjali Birla has presented a prima facie case, suggesting that the posts in question are defamatory. He also issued a restraint against unknown individuals, referred to as John Doe defendants, preventing them from making further defamatory statements about Birla.
Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar, representing Anjali Birla, highlighted that similar allegations had emerged in 2021. However, these claims were debunked through fact-checks by news publications, which confirmed that Birla is an Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer.
Nayar argued-
“I became an officer in 2021, but these issues have resurfaced due to the NEET and UPSC exam controversies. The social media posts make it seem like we’re all involved, and now my private photos are being shared online with claims that I’m a model.”
Anjali Birla’s defamation case, filed through advocates Sanyam Khetarpal and Aditya Manubarwala, seeks to remove the defamatory content and prevent further damage to her reputation. The case details the involvement of 16 specific X accounts, including a parody account of YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, that have perpetuated these false allegations.
The controversy reignited following Om Birla’s election as Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the NEET UG paper leak scandal. Multiple social media posts claimed that Anjali Birla’s success in clearing the UPSC exams in her first attempt was due to her father’s “powerful position.” Additionally, these posts falsely portrayed her as a model by profession.
Anjali Birla has strongly denied these allegations, asserting that the social media accounts making these claims are part of a “pre-planned conspiracy” aimed at defaming her and her father. She clarified her professional credentials, stating that she is not an IAS officer but an IRPS officer, having joined the service in April 2021 after passing the UPSC exams in 2019. She completed her mandatory training last year.
In her plea, Birla has included Google, X (Twitter), and John Doe defendants, requesting the court to order the takedown of the defamatory posts. This legal action aims to restore her reputation and curb the spread of false information.
