Delhi HC orders blocking of sexually explicit video of judge

The Delhi High Court has ordered all search engines, messaging platforms and social media companies to block and stop the circulation of a "sexually explicit" video allegedly involving Delhi's judge and his staff.

On an urgent mention made on a suit filed by the woman concerned, Justice Yashwant Varma passed ad interim ex parte injunction late Wednesday in light of imminent and irreparable harm likely to be caused to her.

"Bearing in mind the sexually explicit nature of the contents of that video and taking into consideration the imminent, grave and irreparable harm that is likely to be caused to the privacy rights of the plaintiff an ad interim ex parte injunction is clearly warranted," the judge said.

The court issued notice to the Centre and other parties including social media companies and put the matter for further consideration on December 9.

The woman sought orders from publishing/re-publishing/telecasting, in any manner, the purported video of March 9, 2022, being circulated on various social media platforms as well as web portals since November 29, 2022.

The court, which saw the content of the material, also noted provisions of Section 354C of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 as well as 67A of the Information and Technology Act, 2000 would appear to be violated in case further circulation, sharing and distribution of the video were to be permitted.

The court also pointed out that the Full Court itself had taken cognizance of the incident on its administrative side.

Following a resolution passed on November 29, 2022, the Registrar General of the court has already conveyed the need to take appropriate action for blocking the said video over all ISPs, messaging platforms as also social media platforms.

The Registrar General has also in light of the directions issued by the competent authority requested the Union government to issue appropriate take-down orders.

"The defendants shall take all permissible steps to ensure that the further sharing, distribution, forwarding or posting of the offending video is restrained forthwith," the bench added.

The court directed Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology to take further steps warranted in terms of the order of the Registrar General.