| Court Restrains Facebook, YouTube, and News Portal from Airing Defamatory Video | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Oct 7: In a significant court order, Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Kathua, Swati Gupta, has issued a restraining order against Facebook (now Meta) and its CEO, YouTube and its CEO, Amit Ajrawat, a reporter of Jammu Samvad (Media/News Agency), and Lalit Khajuria, Editor, Owner, and Publisher of Jammu Samvad.
They are prohibited from airing an offending video on their web portal and social media platforms, specifically concerning the plaintiff, JKAS Officer Tasbina Sheikh.
The offending video, titled 'JKAS Officer Ban Gayi Farzi GST Officer, FIR registered, Hosh Udaa Degi Khabar,' was published on the 'Jammu Samvad' web portal in September 2023, making defamatory allegations against the plaintiff.
Advocate Kirti Bushan Mahajan, representing the JKAS Officer, argued that 'Jammu Samvad' had aired a defamatory video against the plaintiff without verifying her version and with an ulterior motive.
The video aimed to tarnish her image to prevent her family members from pressing charges against three individuals from Bani, namely Mohd Araf (JE), Talib Hussain, and Akash Kumar.
These individuals were allegedly nursing a grudge against the plaintiff and her family.
The video, according to Adv. Mahajan, caused significant damage to the plaintiff's reputation, spreading rapidly on Facebook, YouTube, and other social media platforms.
The plaintiff received multiple calls from her batchmates, departmental colleagues, friends, and residents of Bani.
The District Administration Kathua also sought the plaintiff's comments regarding the video.
Advocate Mahajan further argued that the video contained not only defamatory statements and derogatory remarks against the plaintiff but also threats, which cast a negative impression on her status, reputation, dignity, and honor, thereby violating her rights.
After hearing Advocate Kirti Bushan Mahajan, the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division)/CJM, Kathua, issued a restraining order against Facebook, YouTube, Amit Ajrawat, and Lalit Khajuria, preventing them from airing the offending video on their web portal and social media platforms in relation to the plaintiff.
The court scheduled the matter for further proceedings on 27/10/2023, allowing the non-applicants to appear and file objections.
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