Delete 'Defamatory' Comments Against Cricketer Mohammad Shami's Wife Hasin Jahan : Calcutta High Court Directs YouTube

The Calcutta High Court has directed YouTube authorities to take down the 'defamatory' comments being made on their platform against Hasin Jahan in respect of her marital relationship with her estranged husband, Cricketer Mohammed Shami.

The bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha also directed Youtube to ensure that personal, defamatory and derogatory comments against Jahan are not published on its site.

Also, Hasin Jahan has been asked by the bench to communicate the particulars of the posts and material which she finds to be defamatory to police so that they could ask YouTube to remove them.

This order came from the bench while dealing with a Writ plea moved by Hasin Jahan in 2019 aggrieved by certain Youtube comments made about her by the public at large in respect of her marital relationship with her estranged husband. She had also submitted that she has also filed an FIR in the matter.

Jahan, who is a model as well as an actress, had moved the instant plea in the year 2019, stating that due to her ongoing legal battle with her husband, Shami, she and her minor daughter were being targetted on YouTube and Facebook and they were becoome victims of trolling, threats and intimidation. However, after filing of the plea, the same was not pursued by her.

Now, on November 19, 2022, The counsel for the State informed the bench that the Officer-in-Charge, Cyber Police Station, Kolkata has contacted with the Youtube authorities for details of the publishers of the comments.

However, the Court observed that it would be futile to proceed against such persons given their large numbers, therefore, the Court issued the directoons to the Youtube authorities as mentioned above. With these observations the writ petition was disposed of.

Case title - Hasin Jahan v. The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Case Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Cal) 347

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