New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the removal of social media content linking Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s daughter to convicted American sex offender late Jeffrey Epstein within 24 hours.
Justice Mini Pushkarna also restrained several users from publishing, circulating or disseminating such content on social media platforms in any manner.
The judge, who was hearing a lawsuit filed by Hardeep Puri’s daughter, Himayani Puri, clarified that if social media users did not remove the posts, the concerned platforms shall take down or block access to such content.
The court also observed that Himayani Puri has a prima facie case in her favour and she will suffer irreparable injury if interim relief is not granted.
“Consequently, till the next date of hearing, the following directions are issued,” the court said, while listing the case for further hearing in August.
Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for the plaintiff, said she has a “global reputation” to protect as a finance professional and that the allegations against her were “completely false, reckless and malicious”.
Calling the allegations a “figment of imagination”, Jethmalani argued that there was an “orchestrated attack” on the plaintiff, arising from “personal and political malice”.
He said the defamatory content was published and shared by users who were “self-proclaimed journalists” or content creators.
Jethmalani also told the court that the plaintiff was a resident of New York and urged the court to pass an order to block the defamatory content globally.
Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for Meta Platforms, submitted that such orders were not passed in any country and that the blocking of objectionable content was done country-wise.
He informed the court that the issue of a global blocking was pending before a division bench of the high court.
Restricting the take-down order to India at this stage, the court issued summonses on the lawsuit to the users and social media platforms, asking them to file their responses in the main case as well as the application for interim relief.