After YouTuber's Apology, Supreme Court Closes Contempt Proceedings Over Comments Against Judge

The Supreme Court today(March 90 closed suo motu contempt proceeding initiated against Chandigarh-based YouTuber and Editor-in-Chief of Varprad Media, Ajay Shukla, for his alleged "scandalous, contemptuous and defamatory" remarks against a former judge of the Supreme Court.

The matter was disposed of by a bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma after Shukla tendered an unconditional apology through his counsel, Advocate Eesha Bakshi. However, the bench warned that any recurrence of such nature would attract severe consequences.

"However, Respondent 1 want to be cautious in future. Any recurrence of conduct or complaint would attract severe consequences," the Court said.

It may be recalled that Shukla, on the YouTube channel 'The Principle' (owned by Varprad Media), uploaded a video containing scandalous allegations against Justice Bela M. Trivedi, a former judge of the Supreme Court.

On May 30, 2025, a bench comprising former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, Justice AG Masih and Justice AS Chandurkar initiated suo motu contempt proceedings. The bench observed that the allegations were likely to bring disrepute to the august institution of the judiciary.

It said: "No doubt that the Constitution of India guarantees right to freedom of speech and expression, however, at the same time such right is subject to reasonable restrictions. A person cannot be permitted to make allegations which are in the nature of defaming a Judge of this Court or any other Court and also which are contemptuous in nature, that attempt to bring disrepute to the institution of the Judiciary."

The Court issued notice to the contemnor, YouTube and also to the Attorney General for India and the Solicitor General of India. It also passed an interim order, directing YouTube to takedown the video clip.

Case Details: IN RE: SCANDALOUS REMARKS MADE BY MR. AJAY SHUKLA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, VARPRAD MEDIA PVT. LTD., A DIGITAL CHANNEL Vs|SMC(Crl) No. 1/2025 Diary No. 30681 / 2025