Delhi HC issues contempt notice to influencer over videos targeting sitting judge in Saket building collapse

New Delhi, June 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a criminal contempt notice to social media influencer Kapil Kakar for his videos and posts allegedly making scandalous remarks against the judiciary in connection with the recent Saket building collapse tragedy.

A division bench of Justices Neena Bansal Krishna and Madhu Jain also directed social media platforms to remove objectionable videos and posts alleging that a sitting High Court judge was responsible for the tragedy and ordered the blocking of the social media handle concerned.

The order came on a criminal contempt petition filed by the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA), which alleged that Kakar, a psychologist and social activist, had published a series of videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn containing scandalous and contemptuous remarks against a sitting judge and the judiciary.

Issuing notice in the matter, the Justice Krishna-led Bench observed that such allegations against judges and the judiciary are becoming increasingly frequent on social media. It added that the statements made in the videos were not genuine and appeared to be an attempt to scandalise the institution of the judiciary.

"We can only hope that the public does not pay any attention to it," the Delhi High Court said during the hearing.

According to the DHCBA petition, Kakar allegedly accused a sitting High Court judge of being responsible for the deaths caused by the collapse of an under-construction building in south Delhi's Saidulajab area near Saket Metro Station.

The petition alleged that Kakar falsely claimed that the judge had dismissed a plea seeking action against illegal construction activities due to an alleged nexus with municipal authorities. It further reproduced portions of the videos in which the judge was allegedly described as a "murderer", the judiciary was accused of corruption, and citizens were urged to "rise against such injustice".

During the hearing, counsel appearing for Google, YouTube and Meta submitted that the platforms would remove the videos if the specific URLs were shared with them.

The controversy arose against the backdrop of the collapse of a four-storey under-construction building in Saidulajab near Saket Metro Station on May 31. The building, comprising a ground floor and three additional levels under construction, collapsed onto a nearby tin-shed canteen, trapping several people under the debris and triggering a massive rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Police, civil defence personnel and other agencies.

According to the Delhi Police, six persons lost their lives in the incident, while several others sustained injuries. An FIR under provisions relating to culpable homicide was registered at Mehrauli Police Station, and an investigation into the reasons behind the collapse is underway. Following the tragedy, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site and ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. She also directed authorities to take strict action against unauthorised constructions, and officials found responsible, besides ordering inspections of dilapidated and hazardous buildings in the area.

Source: IANS