A Mumbai court has issued a contempt notice to Google CEO Sundar Pichai following YouTube’s failure to comply with a March 2022 court order to remove a defamatory video titled “Pakhandi Baba ki Kartut.” The video targeted Dhyan Foundation and its founder, Yogi Ashwini, and continued to be accessible on the platform despite the court’s directive.
The notice was issued by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Ballard Pier on November 21, 2023, after the Dhyan Foundation filed a contempt petition in October 2022, claiming the video contained malicious allegations that damaged their reputation. The court dismissed YouTube’s objections, emphasizing that criminal courts could intervene in such cases, despite the platform’s defense of intermediary immunity under the IT Act. YouTube argued that defamation issues should be handled by civil courts, but the court rejected this stance, reaffirming its jurisdiction in the matter.
This legal action comes amid growing regulatory challenges for Google in India, including an antitrust investigation initiated by gaming company WinZO. The company is also facing scrutiny from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) over its practices in the Android mobile ecosystem and the Play Store, with penalties already imposed in 2022.
The contempt case is scheduled for further hearing on January 3, 2024.
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