Delhi High Court Orders Removal Of Social Media Posts Against UPSC Qualification Of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's Daughter

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered removal of social media posts against IRPS Officer and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's daughter, Anjali Birla, alleging that she cleared UPSC exam in her first attempt by indulging in corrupt practices and misusing her father's position.

Justice Navin Chawla passed the ad interim injunction order in Anjali Birla's favour in her defamation suit filed against X, formerly Twitter, Google and John Doe (unknown entities).

The court directed X Corp and Google to remove or block social media content against Birla, as complained by her in her defamation suit, till further orders.

The court also restrained John Doe (unknown entities) from directly or indirectly posting, publishing, circulating, tweeting or retweeting posts which are subject matter of the suit.

Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar appeared for Anjali Birla. The plaint was filed by Advocates Aditya Bharat Manubarwala and Sanyam Khetarpal.

The court said that Birla made out a prima facie case in her favour and that balance of convenience was also in her favour and against the defendants.

It is Birla's case that she is being character assassinated which is causing damage to her reputation as the social media posts, tweets, comments are full of innuendos, cheap remarks and serious imputations on her character and standing.

She has also submitted that dissemination of the social media posts and tweets is adversely affecting her position in the public office.

On Anjali Birla's complaint, an FIR was registered by Maharashtra Cyber Cell against Twitter handle of “Dhruv Rathee (Parody)” and various other accounts under Sections 78,79,318(2), 352, 356(2), 353(2) and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita Act, 2023 along with section 66 (C) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Title: Anjali Birla v. X Corp. and Ors.

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Del) 817