'Prima Facie Defamatory': Delhi HC Asks Journalist & YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh To Remove Video On Ram Rahim Singh, Upload Fresh With Disclaimer

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed Journalist and YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh to take down a video made by him on Dera Saccha Sauda Chief Ram Rahim Singh from all social media platforms.

“The video seems to be prima facie defamatory vis-à-vis the plaintiff (Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh),” Justice Jasmeet Singh said.

However, the court granted liberty to the journalist to upload a new video with a disclaimer that its contents are quoted from trial court judgment on Rahim's conviction and the book titled “Dera Sacha Sauda and Gurmeet Ram Rahim” by Anurag Tripathi.

The court ordered Singh to remove the video from all social media platforms within 24 hours.

Justice Singh passed the order while deciding an application seeking ad-interim injunction in the defamation suit moved by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

The court noted that the video contained material based on trial court's judgment and quoted passages from the book. However, no disclaimer was attached to the video.

During the hearing today, Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur appearing for Ram Rahim Singh submitted that the video can be accessed globally by the devotees and also jeopardises his right to fair trial. He also alleged that the timing of uploading the video is questionable as the same is done at the time when Singh's appeal against his conviction is due for hearing.

On the other hand, Shyam Meera Singh's counsel said that the entire video is either quoting contents from trial court's judgment or contents of the book written by Anurag Tripathi.

“What he is saying is that he is quoting a judgment, quoting contents of a book. If you want, I'll tell him to delete the video and add a disclaimer that you have quoted from such and such judgment and such and such book and that it is not my personal views. What else do you want him to say? I cannot if he is quoting a judgment or a book which you have not taken any action on… What's so wrong?,” Justice Singh then told Mathur.

Accordingly, it ordered:

“The defendant no. 2 (Singh) shall remove the offending video [from all social media platforms] and is at liberty to upload a fresh video with a disclaimer [that the portions and quotes are from judgments and the book]. The removing of the video shall be done within 24 hours.”

Ram Rahim filed the suit against Singh alleging that the narration and contents of the video uploaded by Singh on his YouTube channel are ex-facie misleading and per se defamatory.

Ram Rahim apprehended that the said video has been uploaded “with the intention to subject him to a media trial and hold him guilty in the eyes of public” even before the appeals are heard and decided by the competent court.

Title: SAINT GURMEET RAM RAHIM SINGH INSAN SHISHAYEVA GADDINASHIN SHAH SATNAM SINGH JI MAHARAJ V/s YOUTUBE LLC AND ANR

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Del) 40