Delhi HC hearing disrupted following display of pornographic content; probe ordered

Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya also stated that he has issued administrative directions to Registrar General Arun Bharadwaj to take action with regards to restraining the dissemination of the videos

The Delhi High Court administration on Wednesday lodged a police complaint after pornographic content and disruptive audio were repeatedly played from one participant’s screen during virtual court proceedings of several benches including that of the chief justice.

The incident forced the court administration to shut down the virtual hearing platform twice. (Representative file photo)

At one point, a message on the screen claimed that the system had been hacked.

The Delhi High Court administration has filed a formal complaint with the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit (IFSO) of Delhi Police.

Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya later said he had issued administrative directions to Registrar General Arun Bharadwaj to take action to restrain the dissemination of the video clips of the court proceedings, including the pornographic content, under the rules that bar anyone from recording the virtual proceedings.

“Administratively, I have already instructed the RG. We are making a request with the mechanism available for that. Because under our rules, it can be displayed only if it is recorded. As per the rules, the recording is prohibited. It’s against the rules and as per the norms, I have already instructed the RG, and it will be done,” the chief justice said.

The development happened after additional solicitor general (ASG) Chetan Sharma mentioned the issue in the post-lunch session before a bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, informing the court that the incident had occurred not only in the Chief Justice’s court but in other courts as well. He submitted that it had affected the sanctity and integrity of the institution and urged the court to direct immediate removal of the content and prevent its further dissemination.

“There’s been disconcerting incidents in the pre-lunch session. In some courts and not in one court, and that has the effect of damaging the sanctity and overall integrity of the institution. Because the grounds in section 69A of the IT Act and the consequent accord which runs into 79(3)(b) are there— directing for the immediate take down and to stop the dissemination of the…,” the law officer had said.