The Delhi High Court has issued a directive to YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh to remove a video within 24 hours from all social media platforms, accusing incarcerated Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim of deceiving his followers. The court deemed the content “prima facie defamatory” and granted Singh the liberty to upload a revised video, citing its basis on a book and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court orders.
Justice Jasmeet Singh presided over the bench, allowing Singh to post a new video accompanied by a disclaimer, specifically mentioning its sources from a book and the rulings of a CBI court. Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the Dera chief, received a 20-year imprisonment sentence in August 2017 for the rape of two women devotees and the murder of a journalist. Subsequently, in October 2021, he was handed a life sentence for another disciple’s murder.
Singh posted the contentious video on December 17, outlining the rise of the Dera chief and raising concerns about alleged irregularities in the CBI’s investigation into the case. The Dera chief filed a plea seeking the removal of the video and a prohibition on Singh from disseminating defamatory material against him, asserting that the video was misleading and defamatory on its face.
Expressing apprehension that the video was strategically uploaded to influence public opinion amid his pending appeals in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Dera chief claimed the video aimed to prejudice his case and subject him to a media trial.
Following the High Court’s nudges, Singh pledged to remove his posts from YouTube on December 30 and placed the video in private mode on January 4. However, senior advocate Mohit Mathur, representing the Dera chief, emphasized that Singh continued to post content against Gurmeet Ram Rahim on Facebook despite his apology on YouTube.
In response, Singh’s lawyer, Mayank Yadav, defended the video’s basis, citing its reliance on the CBI court’s directives and the contents of a book. The case, centered on allegations of defamation and influencing a fair trial, continues to unfold within the corridors of the judiciary.
Sources By Agencies
