The Supreme Court on Friday initiated suo motu criminal contempt of court proceedings against a YouTuber for alleged “scandalous” remarks against a senior judge of the top court.
A three-judge bench, presided by CJI B R Gavai and also comprising Justices A G Masih and A S Chandrukar, also directed that the video by YouTuber Ajay Shukla be taken down forthwith.
The bench said that in the video clip, Ajay Shukla, editor in chief of digital channel, Varprad Media Pvt Ltd, “has made scathing and scandalous observations on some of the senior judges of this court.”
“Such scandalous allegations widely published on YouTube, are likely to bring disrepute to the august institution of the judiciary,” the bench said.
“The Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of speech. At the same time, the right is subjected to reasonable restrictions,” the bench said, adding, “a person cannot be permitted to make allegations which are in the nature of defaming a judge of this court and also of contemptuous nature which attempts to bring disrepute to the institution of judiciary.”
The bench then directed the Registry to register the present proceedings as a suo motu contempt and asked Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist the court in the matter.
The court, which is currently on partial working days, will hear the matter after it resumes full working mode.
