Delhi HC orders takedown of content linking CJI, judges, Union Minister to London badminton event
New Delhi, June 19: The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to initiate the removal of news reports, videos, social media…
New Delhi, June 19: The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to initiate the removal of news reports, videos, social media posts and other online content linking the Chief Justice of India, Supreme Court and High Court judges, and Union ministers to the 2nd International Bar & Bench Badminton Championship held in London on June 7.
Justice Tejas Karia, hearing a writ petition filed by the Badminton Association of India (BAI), held that the impugned content appeared to be “ex-facie false, malicious and derogatory” to the judiciary, the executive and the sport of badminton.
The court directed the Union government to issue a notification under the Information Technology Act and applicable rules, requiring social media platforms, search engines, web-hosting services, digital media platforms and internet service providers to take down, block, de-index and restrict access to the identified content within 24 hours.
Petition Filed by Badminton Association of India
The BAI approached the court seeking removal of allegedly misleading reports and posts concerning the London event, claiming that they falsely suggested the participation of senior judges and Union ministers and were aimed at undermining public confidence in constitutional institutions.
The petition specifically cited content published on YouTube, X, and news platforms including The Print, National Herald and The Tribune, as well as a statement issued by the All India Lawyers Union (AILU).
Government Clarification Before Court
Appearing for the Union government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma told the court that photographs circulated online showing the Chief Justice of India, Justice Vikram Nath and Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Arjun Ram Meghwal playing badminton were not from London.
According to the government, the images were from a national-level Bar and Bench badminton tournament held at Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi on November 29, 2025.
The government further informed the court that the Chief Justice of India had not participated in any badminton event in London and was instead on an official visit to the UK, where he attended judicial and legal events.
It was also stated that neither Union Minister Kiren Rijiju nor Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal had travelled to London during the period in question.
Court Finds Prima Facie Misinformation Campaign
The court observed that the material placed before it indicated a “systematic misinformation campaign” aimed at tarnishing the image of the judiciary and Union ministers.
“The dissemination of such false and misleading information, particularly when directed against Constitutional Courts, has the potential to cause serious and irreversible injury to public confidence in the justice delivery system,” the order said.
Justice Karia noted that photographs from the November 2025 Delhi tournament had been misrepresented as images from the London event and that allegations questioning judicial independence were unsupported by facts.
Directions to Preserve User Details
Apart from ordering the removal of the content, the court directed intermediaries to preserve and provide details of those responsible for uploading or disseminating the material, including subscriber information, contact details, email IDs, bank details and IP logs.
The information is to be furnished to the government within one week to facilitate appropriate legal action under law.
The court also restrained members of the public from uploading, sharing or circulating the impugned content in any form on social media or digital platforms.
The matter has been listed for compliance on July 17, 2026.
