Aaradhya Bachchan Moves Delhi High Court Seeking Summary Judgment In Suit Against Misleading Content

Nupur Thapliyal

4 Feb 2025 10:09 PM IST

  • Aaradhya Bachchan Moves Delhi High Court Seeking Summary Judgment In Suit Against Misleading Content

    Aaradhya Bachchan, daughter of Bollywood actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, has moved the Delhi High Court seeking summary judgment in her suit against misleading content uploaded against her by various YouTube channels.On February 03, Justice Mini Pushkarna issued notice to nine YouTube channels, including Bollywood Time, on Aaradhya's application. The application has...

    Aaradhya Bachchan, daughter of Bollywood actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, has moved the Delhi High Court seeking summary judgment in her suit against misleading content uploaded against her by various YouTube channels.

    On February 03, Justice Mini Pushkarna issued notice to nine YouTube channels, including Bollywood Time, on Aaradhya's application.

    The application has been filed under Order XIII-A Rules 3, 6(1)(a), 8 read with Order VIII Rule 10 read with Section 151 of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.

    Summary judgment is a procedure that allows a court to resolve a commercial suit without a trial.

    In April, 2023, a coordinate bench had restrained various YouTube channels from disseminating, publishing or sharing videos or any fake content relating to the mental and physical health of Aaradhya Bachchan.

    During the hearing on February 03, Aaradhya's counsel submitted that the originators and uploaders of the impugned content- nine YouTube channels, neither entered appearance nor filed a formal written statement till date.

    It was submitted that the right to file written statement of the defendants had already been closed and that on October 08 last year, the Court had proceeded ex parte against them.

    “Issue notice. Notice is accepted by learned counsel for defendant no.10. Let notice be issued to the remaining aforesaid defendants, returnable on 17th March, 2025,” the Court said.

    In 2023, the coordinate bench in its interim order had observed that dissemination of misleading information relating to a child, especially as regards the physical and mental health, is completely intolerable in law.

    The court had also added that it has “zero tolerance” in matters where misleading content is published on such platforms relating to physical well being of a child.

    The plaint stated that one of the videos even claimed that Aaradhya was no more and that various morphed pictures were also used in the videos.

    The suit submitted that the videos in question breach the minor's right to privacy and also are in violation of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

    Observing that a prima facie case was made out in the favour of Aaradhya Bachchan warranting the grant of an ad-interim injunction, the court had restrained nine defendants YouTube channels and their associates or agents from disseminating or further transmitting the videos relating to the minor's health condition.

    Title: MS. AARADHYA BACHCHAN AND ANR. v. BOLLYWOOD TIME & ORS.

    click here to read order

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