Delhi HC directs Facebook, Google to remove video with banned content from Baba Ramdev biography

The Delhi High Court on Thursday passed an interim injunction in favour of Baba Ramdev, directing Facebook, Google, YouTube, and Twitter to pull down links of a video making references to the offensive content in the biographical work ‘Godman to Tycoon – the Untold Story of Baba Ramdev’..Baba Ramdev had alleged that the book, published by Juggernaut Books, contains unfounded and misleading material that is malicious and scandalous, thereby harming his good reputation..A plea moved by Ramdev to restrain the publication of the book eventually led the Delhi High Court to direct that if the publisher wished to sell the biography written by Priyanka Pathak Narain, it has to delete portions of the book that deal with the death of Baba Ramdev’s ally, Shankar Dev Ji and the disappearance of his Guru, Swami Yogananda. This injunction order was passed in September last year..The following month, Juggernaut Books challenged the injunction before the Supreme Court. This appeal is still pending before the Apex Court..However, as submitted on behalf of Ramdev before Justice Prathibha M Singh of the Delhi High Court, there has been no stay on the Delhi High Court’s 2018 injunction. Therefore, a plea was made for an injunction on the publication of a video allegedly depicting information that was barred by the Delhi High Court in its September 2018 order..Following an undertaking by Facebook, Google and YouTube that they would pull down the links of the video in question, the Court passed the following order,.“Till the next date, the Defendants are directed to remove/block/disable the URLs and weblink connected to the offending video for the India domain… the blocking/disabling be given effect forthwith and, in any event, no later that 72 hours..The question as to whether the said URLs also deserve to be blocked globally, would be heard not he next date.“.Whereas Twitter was not represented before the Court on the date of passing the order, the Court directed that it comply with the injunction order within two working days..The defendant companies were directed to submit their short replies before the Court in two weeks. Further, the Court has also directed that information concerning those who uploaded the said video be submitted to it in a sealed cover..“The basic subscriber information for the entitle/person/s, which/who has uploaded the said video, be placed in a sealed cover.“.The plaint moved by Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurveda Limited was filed through advocates Simranjeet Singh, Rohan Ahuja, Sonali Dhir, and Aadhar Nautiyal of Athena Legal. Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar made arguments for the plaintiffs. .Senior Advocate Parag Tripathi appeared for Facebook, assisted by advocates Tejas Karia, Richa Srivastava, Shijo George, Pallavi Chopra, Dhruv Bhatnagar and Rishabh..Senior Advocate Arvind Nigam, along with by advocates Shruttima Ehersa and Sakshi Jhaani appeared for Google and YouTube..Read the order:.Image taken from here.