Justice Prathiba M. Singh was hearing Azmat Ali Khan’s plea for taking down the video/news report citing an evident threat to him. Khan is accused of forceful conversion and rape.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — The Delhi High Court on Friday took strong exception to a video report aired on Sudarshan News and social media platforms calling an accused a “Jihadi.” Underlining the question of “security” of the accused facing forceful conversion and rape charges, the court ordered the immediate removal of the offensive video, media reports said.
Hearing Azmat Ali Khan’s plea for taking down the video/news report, citing an evident threat to the petitioner from comments it triggered, Justice Prathiba M. Singh said: “Considering that there is a severe threat as is evident from the comments, it is directed that the links which have been set out shall be immediately blocked for public viewing.
The court said it was a question of the security of the accused. If they [Sudarshan News] do not block it, you [social media platforms] block it. …It [the video] has to be blocked by everybody,” it said.
Khan sought the removal of news items and videos on online platforms in the case filed against him on a Delhi woman’s complaint in April accusing him of forced religious conversion.
Khan, 32, has been accused by a 42-year-old Sikh woman of trying to convert her while they were in a relationship. She alleged that he recorded her video while they were intimate, threatened her, and tried to forcibly convert her.
Khan, who was granted anticipatory bail in that FIR, moved the Delhi High Court stating that the allegations against him were under police investigation and that circulation of the videos would prejudice it as well as compromise his safety and security.
The plea cited the Sudarshan News report about allegations against him and the use of words such as Jihadi for him. Khan’s lawyer told the court that the channel’s reporters were harassing the accused and his family and even Aaj Tak TV has held a debate on the issue, according to the report.
One such video was also played before the judge.
Google’s lawyer said the originators of the videos ought to be heard in the matter. News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) submitted that none of the respondent news channels were its members.
The Press Council of India told the court Khan’s email with the news link will be considered and looked into.
The court issued a notice to the Delhi Police directing them to place on record a status report of the investigation carried out in the matter so far.
It also issued notices to the respondents including YouTube, Google, Twitter, Sudarshan TV, its editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke, Orissa TV, and Bharat Prakashan.
The matter would be heard next on May 23.
