HC orders blocking of video/news report claiming man forced woman to convert

Justice Prathiba M Singh issued the directions while hearing one Azmat Ali Khan’s plea for taking down the video/news report citing an evident threat to the petitioner

The Delhi high court on Friday directed TV channels including Sudarshan News and social media platforms such as Twitter to immediately block access to a video/news report claiming a Muslim man allegedly forced a woman to convert to Islam while taking serious exception to it and the use of the word jihadi in it.

The matter would be heard next on May 23. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Justice Prathiba M Singh issued the directions while hearing one Azmat Ali Khan’s plea for taking down the video/news report, citing an evident threat to the petitioner from comments it triggered.

“Considering that there is a severe threat as is evident from the comments, it is directed that the links which have been set out shall be immediately blocked for public viewing,” the court said. “It is a question of his security. If they [Sudarshan News] do not block it, you [social media platforms] block it. ...It [the video] has to be blocked by everybody.”

Khan sought the removal of news items and videos on online platforms in respect of the case filed against him on a Delhi woman’s complaint in April accusing him of forced religious conversion.

The plea said the allegations against him are under police investigation and circulation of the videos will prejudice it as well as compromise his safety and security.

It cited the Sudarshan News report about the allegations against Khan and the use of words such as Jihadi for him. The plea accused the channel’s reporters of harassing Khan and his family.

Google’s lawyer said the originators of the videos ought to be heard in the matter. News Broadcasters and Digital Association submitted that none of the respondent news channels were its members.

The Press Council of India told the court Khan’s email with the news link will be considered and looked into.

The court issued a notice to the Delhi Police directing them to place on record a status report of the investigation carried out in the matter.

It also issued notices to the respondents including YouTube, Google, Twitter, Sudarshan TV, its editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke, Orissa TV, and Bharat Prakashan.

The matter would be heard next on May 23.