A Lucknow court has upheld the dismissal of Amitabh Thakur’s defamation complaint against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding the term “Kathmullapan” used in a speech. The court ruled that political speech within legislative settings is protected, emphasizing the importance of free expression while defining legal boundaries related to defamation.
A Sonepat court has placed Prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad in judicial custody following his Facebook post about India’s Operation Sindoor, provoking public outrage over perceived free speech violations. Arrested after police custody due to complaints, his case raises critical questions regarding the boundaries of free expression in national security discussions.
Following India’s airstrikes in ‘Operation Sindoor’, social media, particularly X, was inundated with misinformation. In response, the Indian government ordered the blocking of over 8,000 accounts, including international news outlets. X criticized this censorship while complying with the orders for legal protection. Misinformation about the strikes, including fake visuals, was widespread, prompting government action against false narratives.
Comedian Samay Raina is under scrutiny as the Supreme Court said it was “really disturbed” by his disability-related jokes. The court has now added him to the case involving podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia.
Former CJI Chandrachud gave a light-hearted response to criticism, saying, “Hit the gym more often.” He also said he is hopeful but careful about the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence in the legal field.
Bombay: 8th April: On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court asked the Maharashtra government to reply to a petition filed by stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra. Kamra has requested the Court to cancel the First Information Report (FIR) filed against him by the Mumbai Police for calling Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a “gaddar” (traitor) during his comedy show.
Justice Oka addressed the prevalent issue of hate speech in India, which often targets religious minorities and oppressed communities, aiming to provoke societal division. He emphasized the need for public awareness and education to reduce such speech, while safeguarding free speech rights. Oka advocated for the right to dissent and protest as essential democratic principles.
Bombay: The Bombay High Court has taken up a case involving Dr. Aniruddha Malpani, a Mumbai-based doctor and investor, whose LinkedIn account was permanently suspended after he posted critical comments about the ed-tech company Byju’s.
India’s Got Latent, a popular show, has become controversial after its latest members-only episode, where comedians and influencers made offensive jokes and comments. Among those facing backlash are comedian Samay Raina, popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahabdia, and Apoorva Makhija. These remarks have sparked outrage on social media, with many viewers expressing their disgust.
The Allahabad High Court today (6th Jan) extended the stay on Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair’s arrest until January 16, 2025, regarding an FIR based on his social media post about Yati Narsinghanand’s inflammatory speech. Zubair argues his post was a freedom of speech exercise, not inciting violence, amid state claims of misinformation.
