High Court judge recuses from hearing Facebook, Google pleas on anti-Ramdev links

New Delhi, February 23

A Delhi High Court judge on Wednesday recused himself from hearing pleas by internet and social media giants, Facebook, Twitter and Google, challenging an order directing them to remove, block or disable on a global basis links to a video containing defamatory allegations against yoga guru Ramdev.

The matter came up for hearing before a Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh.

Justice Sanghi, who was heading the Bench, recused from hearing the pleas and said they be listed on March 21 before another Bench of which he is not a member.

Facebook, Twitter and Google have challenged the single judge’s October 23, 2019, order directing them and Google’s subsidiary YouTube to forthwith remove, block or disable on a global basis links to the video containing defamatory allegations against Ramdev.

The single judge had held that merely “geo-blocking” or disabling access to the defamatory content to viewers from India, as agreed to by the social media platforms, would not be sufficient as users residing here can gain access to it by other means.