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Synopsis

The Delhi High Court today expressed displeasure and warned YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh about contempt proceedings against him for the tweets he posted. 

The court was hearing a suit filed by the Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh seeking an interim stay on the streaming of a video and the deletion of a video on YouTube that was uploaded by Singh. The video on YouTube is titled “How Gurmeet Ram Rahim Fooled His Bhakts?”.

At the outset, the counsel appearing for the YouTuber sought an adjournment as Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid was not present to argue today.

On the other hand, Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur, appearing for the Dera Sacha Sauda Chief, informed the court that Singh has tweeted further that he is being pressurized. 

The senior counsel quoted Shyam Meera Singh's tweet: "Samne wale paksh ke karan hume 2 din ke liye video private mode pe krne ke liye majboor hona pada (Because of the opposite party, I have been forced to put the video on private mode for 2 days)."

The bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh said, "This is not fair. This is unfair. The court doesn't force anybody. He's saying he's being forced. It was a concession. I could have passed an order. The court is very competent to pass an order with regarT to the merits of the case. It was done voluntarily. Where is the Majburi (Compulsion)? You bring him here, and we'll ask him what he wants; then it will not be a majburi (compulsion)."

On interacting with the YouTuber, the court said, "Please understand...When you write about the court, you have to be a responsible citizen. You cannot say that the court is pressuring you. The court cannot pressure anybody. Your counsel had suggested putting the video in 'Private Mode' if any such tweet is posted in the future. I'll issue a contempt order against you."

Noting that the senior counsel appearing for Singh was not available, the court adjourned the matter till January 10, 2024. "The video will stay in private mode till January 10," the court directed.

On the last hearing, Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for Singh, said that both sides will sit together and see the defamatory portions of the video and see if anything can be done. 

Last week, YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh assured the Court that he would take down the tweets that he posted against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

The counsel for the plaintiff had said a legal notice was sent by his client on December 21 to YouTube and Shyam Meera Singh, who uploaded the alleged video. He had submitted that the video is “clearly derogatory, disparaging, and denigrating.”.

“He (Shyam Meera Singh) is a habitual offender... After we put him to notice, he puts out a comment on Twitter (now known as X) saying, ‘I’m not going to delete these videos’. Totally defiant. He has also been accused by the UP administration of insulting the Chief Minister. An FIR came to be registered at the instance of a UP resident,” the counsel had said.

In 2017, the Dera chief was sentenced to 20 years in prison for allegedly raping two women disciples. In 2019, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his employee, Ranjit Singh. In 2021, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for another murder—that of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati.

Case Title: Saint Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan Shishyeva Gaddinashin Shah Satnam Singh ji Maharaj v. YouTube LLC and Anr.