The Delhi High Court said that public figures must be ready to face criticism, satire, and public comments unless it is humiliating or defamatory. The Court also warned that personality rights cases cannot be used to seek blanket removal of news reports and online content.
Before the Delhi High Court, social intermediaries said Baba Ramdev’s personality rights suit targets parody, satire, and fact-checks. They warned such directions would violate free speech, citing protected content like elephant-riding videos, allopathic treatment posts, and petrol price references.
The Kerala High Court granted anticipatory bail to film director Akhil Marar for his controversial comments on the Indo-Pak conflict. The court upheld freedom of speech, stating that expressions without direct calls for rebellion do not constitute a crime. Marar claimed his remarks were misconstrued and relevant to public knowledge.