Implead uploaders of objectionable content on social media, Delhi HC tells Deputy CM

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary to implead uploaders of certain objectionable content on social media in his defamation suit. Choudhary, a member of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, sought permanent and mandatory injunction alleging that there is defamatory content with sexual undertones on several social media platforms, including Facebook pages and YouTube channels, against him.

Justice Amit Bansal allowed an application by Choudhary to advance the date of hearing from January 13, 2026, and listed it for December 16.

Urging the court to order taking down of the objectionable content from the internet, the counsel for Choudhary said his face has been plastered all over with a woman in the viral videos.

To this, the judge said, “Your face has been there for over one year and you have just woken up now. So, therefore, it is a false sense of urgency. I understand what you are saying but let them (uploaders) come, then we will pass an order.” The court asked the counsel for Meta Platforms to supply IP address and basic subscriber information details of the uploaders to the plaintiff within three days.

“Let the plaintiff take steps to implead the uploaders and serve them with an advance copy of the suit,” it said.

The court earlier observed that the plaintiff did not file the transcripts of the alleged objectionable content without which it cannot determine if it is defamatory or not.

It had asked Choudhary, who represents the Nowshera Assembly constituency, to place on record the defamatory content along with the transcripts.

The plaintiff’s counsel had told the court that the objectionable content with sexual overtones was uploaded on social media.