The Supreme Court on Friday initiated suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against Chandigarh-based journalist Ajay Shukla for uploading a video containing scandalous allegations against a senior judge of the top court, and ordered that the objectionable video be taken down forthwith.

A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai, Justice Augustine George Masih, and Justice Atul S Chandurkar, by an interim order, restrained Shukla’s digital platform, The Principle—run by Varprad Media India Pvt Ltd—from further publishing or circulating the contentious video.

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“We direct the Registry to register the case as suo motu contempt against Ajay Shukla. The YouTube channel shall be made a party respondent. The Attorney General and Solicitor General are requested to assist the Court,” the order stated.

The Court noted that prima facie the video made “scandalous observations” about one of its senior judges and said such content, if left unchecked, would “bring disrepute to the august institution of the judiciary.”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing before the bench, described the matter as “very serious” and welcomed the Court’s decision to take cognisance.

Citing Article 19(1)(a), the bench stated that the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression, but underlined that such rights are subject to reasonable restrictions and cannot be extended to defame judges or cast aspersions on the judiciary.

“Such a right cannot be allowed to make defamatory allegations regarding a judge of this court or to make contemptuous remarks which bring disrepute to the institution of the judiciary,” the bench said.

The video was posted in the wake of the impending retirement of Justice Bela M Trivedi and described her as a “Godi judge”—a term commonly used to accuse someone of favouring the ruling establishment.

Justice Trivedi, who is set to retire on June 9, was not given the customary farewell by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA)—a move that had drawn sharp disapproval from CJI Gavai. However, the ceremonial farewell was held on May 16, before the summer vacation, with CJI Gavai heading the bench.

The case has been formally titled as ‘In Re: Scandalous Remarks Made by Mr. Ajay Shukla, Editor-in-Chief, Varprad Media Pvt. Ltd., a Digital Channel.’

The matter will now be heard in July, when the top court reopens after its seven-week summer recess.