Latest news with #VarpradMedia
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SC files suo moto contempt case against YouTuber for ‘scandalous' remarks on judges
The Supreme Court on Friday initiated suo moto contempt proceedings against Chandigarh-based journalist and YouTuber Ajay Shukla for his "scandalous", defamatory and contemptuous remarks against a few apex court judges in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel. Also Read: Supreme Court to examine hike in fees by private schools A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices Augustine George Masih and AS Chandurkar also directed that the offending video be immediately taken down and restrained the channel from republishing it or similar content. It also issued a notice to Shukla, the Editor-in-Chief of Varprad Media. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta described the remarks as 'very serious' and expressed his gratitude to the bench for taking up suo motu cognisance of the issue. 'Shukla in the said video clip has made scandalous observations about some of the senior judges of this court. Such scandalous allegations widely published on YouTube are likely to bring disrepute to this august institution of judiciary,' the CJI said. Also Read: Supreme Court cites liberty, re-emphasises speedy disposal of bail matters The bench said though the Constitution guarantees free speech, and expression but 'such a right is restricted by reasonable restrictions and cannot be allowed to make defamatory allegations regarding judges of this court. The remarks which are contemptuous in nature bring disrepute to the institute of judiciary.' 'We direct the registry to register the case as a suo moto contempt against Ajay Shukla. The YouTube channel shall be made a party respondent. The Attorney General and the Solicitor General are requested to assist the court,' it ordered. The bench said by an interim order, it restrains the YouTube channel to stop publication of the video and forthwith take it down. Shukla recently posted a video making remarks against retired judge Justice Bela M Trivedi.
Scroll.in
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
SC tells journalist to remove YouTube video containing allegations about judge
The Supreme Court on Friday ordered journalist and YouTuber Ajay Shukla to remove a video in which he made 'scandalous allegations' about a retired judge, Bar and Bench reported. A bench headed by Chief Justice BR Gavai initiated contempt proceedings on its own motion against Shukla, the editor-in-chief of Varprad Media, and issued a notice to him. While the court did not explicitly name the judge about whom the allegations were made, Shukla had on May 18 uploaded a video on his YouTube channel 'The Principle' about the retirement of Justice Bela M Trivedi, describing her as a 'godi judge', or a pro-government judge. While Trivedi is officially slated to retire on June 9, her last working day was May 16. The term 'godi judge' is similar to 'godi media', or lapdog media – a phrase popularised by journalist Ravish Kumar to describe pro-Bharatiya Janata Party media outlets. The bench on Friday said that 'such scandalous allegations widely published are likely to bring disrepute to the august institution of the judiciary' and remarked that the freedom of expression is subject to 'reasonable restrictions'. 'A person cannot be permitted to make allegations which are in the nature of defaming a judge of this Court and also contemptuous in nature, which attempts to bring disrepute to the institution of the judiciary,' the court said, according to Live Law.
