The Supreme Court on Friday initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against Chandigarh-based journalist and YouTuber Ajay Shukla for making “scandalous, defamatory and contemptuous” remarks against judges of the apex court in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, Justice Augustine George Masih, and Justice A.S. Chandurkar directed that the offensive video be immediately taken down and restrained Shukla’s YouTube channel, Varprad Media, from republishing the content or uploading any similar material in the future.
Issuing a notice to Shukla, who is also the Editor-in-Chief of Varprad Media, the court said the content of the video was likely to bring disrepute to the judiciary. “Shukla in the said video clip has made scandalous observations about some of the senior judges of this court. Such scandalous allegations widely published on YouTube are likely to bring disrepute to this august institution of judiciary,” CJI Gavai stated in open court.
While acknowledging the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and expression, the bench made it clear that such rights are subject to reasonable restrictions. “This right cannot be allowed to be misused to make defamatory allegations against the judges of this Court. The remarks which are contemptuous in nature bring disrepute to the institute of judiciary,” the bench observed.
The court further directed its registry to register the matter as a suo motu contempt case against Shukla and added his YouTube channel as a party respondent. It also requested the Attorney General and Solicitor General to assist the court in the proceedings.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing before the bench, termed the remarks “very serious” and thanked the court for taking cognisance of the issue.
The controversy stems from a recent video uploaded by Shukla in which he reportedly made derogatory remarks targeting, among others, retired Supreme Court judge Justice Bela M. Trivedi.
The matter will now proceed as a formal contempt case against Shukla and his media platform.
