Delhi High Court Reserves Verdict on BJP Leader Gaurav Bhatia’s Defamation Suit Against YouTube and X Content

The Delhi High Court reserved its verdict on a defamation plea by Senior Advocate & BJP member Gaurav Bhatia against social media users & YouTube channels. Bhatia claims defamatory content circulated after an assault incident last month. The court will announce its decision on April 10.

Bhatia, represented by Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi and advocate Raghav Awasthi, highlighted the damaging impact of online videos on his reputation. The videos allegedly aimed to tarnish his achievements and political affiliations. Bhatia emphasized the urgency of removing the videos to prevent further harm to his standing.

Bhatia criticized the disrespectful tone of the videos and emphasized the importance of accurate reporting and ethical standards in media. He objected to the inclusion of his political affiliations, stating that the focus should be on the content’s veracity. Legal representatives of the YouTube channels and journalists argued that their actions were protected under freedom of speech.

The Supreme Court has taken cognisance of the assault incident. Bhatia’s petition names individuals and entities, demanding a permanent injunction to restrain them from making defamatory statements against him on digital platforms. The petition also calls on Google LLC and YouTube to remove the allegedly defamatory materials from their platforms. The court will announce its decision on April 10.