Delhi High Court orders to remove video of Arvind Kejriwal’s Court proceedings related to Delhi Liquor Policy Scam case

Recently, the Delhi High Court (HC) directed various social media platforms including X (formerly  Twitter), Meta (formerly Facebook), Instagram, and YouTube to remove the audio/video recording of the Court proceedings in the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam case. The bench constituting Justice Neena Bansal Krishna and Justice Amit Sharma said, “Social media platforms, namely X (formerly Twitter), Meta (formerly Facebook), Instagram and YouTube are hereby directed to remove forthwith the audio/video recording from their respective platforms.” The Delhi HC bench also issued notice to Sunita Kejriwal, wife of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and social media platforms who had posted the video violating the Court’s video conferencing rules during Arvind Kejriwal’s appearance on March 28, 2024, before the Rouse Avenue Court while he was in custody. The Delhi HC listed the matter for further hearing on July 09, 2024. 

The plea was filed by Advocate Vaibhav Singh contending that the recording of the Court’s proceedings is violative of Rule 3(iv) of Delhi High Court Video Conferencing Rules, 2021. He added that the same could not be permitted to remain in the public domain. He alleged, “Several members of the Aam Aadmi Party, including members of various other opposition parties, have intentionally and deliberately and with wilful intention to malign and manipulate the court proceedings done the audio and video recording of the court proceedings and circulated on social media platforms.” The plea reads, “The post regarding this audio/video recording was circulated on X erstwhile Twitter with the #MoneyTrailExposedByKejriwal. The circumstances in which the audio/video recording went viral smell deep conspiracy by the political parties to malign the image of the judiciary and mislead the common people of this nation, and also to show the general public that the judiciary is working on the behest of the government and under the pressure of the central government.”

The Advocate sought, “Punish the alleged contemnor as per the provisions of the Contempt of Court Act, 1971, and impose strict penalties on the individuals found guilty of violation of VC Rules 2021 of this court, as per the provisions specified in law.” After hearing the matter, the Delhi HC issued notice to various people for violating video conferencing rules by “posting, reposting, forwarding, sharing, resharing” the audio/video recording of the Delhi HC proceedings related to the Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam case.