Supreme Court Moves Against YouTuber for Defamatory Content

The Supreme Court has taken a firm stance, initiating a suo motu contempt case against Chandigarh-based YouTuber Ajay Shukla. The action stems from Shukla's alleged defamatory remarks against a Supreme Court judge, prompting the court to order the removal of the offending video. The decision was made by a vacation bench consisting of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justices AG Masih and AS Chandurkar.

In its statement, the Supreme Court emphasized the dangerous implications of such allegations on the reputation of the judiciary. While acknowledging the constitutional right to freedom of speech, the bench noted that this freedom includes reasonable restrictions, particularly when comments threaten to defame judicial figures and undermine public confidence in the judiciary.

The court has also urged Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to lend their expertise in the proceedings. The court's actions underline the judiciary's commitment to protecting its integrity against unfounded and scandalous attacks.

(With inputs from agencies.)