The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the removal of videos and online content posted by Dr Kapil Kakar concerning the Saket building collapse on May 30, which resulted in six fatalities. The videos allegedly made serious allegations against a sitting judge of the court related to the same case.
Court Hearing on Contempt Petition
The direction came while the court was hearing a criminal contempt petition filed by the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) against Dr Kakar over the social media content. Appearing for the DHCBA, president N Hariharan submitted that the videos alleged a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court of corruption and criminal misconduct. He argued that such statements amounted to an attack on the judiciary and could not be justified as fair criticism.
The DHCBA contended that the statements made in the videos constitute criminal contempt as they seek to undermine the authority of the court and public confidence in the administration of justice.
Concerns Over Social Media Influence
The bench expressed concern over the growing influence of social media and the effect such content could have on public confidence in the judicial system during the hearing. The court said that social media platforms cannot be a way to scandalise the judiciary and orally directed the removal of the said videos and links.
The contempt petition states that the videos attributed responsibility for the incident to a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court and alleged corruption and collusion in relation to judicial proceedings concerning the property. The petition further alleges that judicial orders were misrepresented in the videos to support claims of wrongdoing by the court.
Legal Proceedings and Consent
The petition seeks initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against Dr Kakar and directions to social media platforms, including Meta, Google, X, and LinkedIn, to remove the content and preserve relevant records. The matter has been listed for further hearing in July.
The Standing Counsel (Criminal) for the Government of NCT of Delhi and Delhi High Court, Sanjay Lao, recently granted written consent under Section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, for the filing of a criminal contempt petition before the Delhi High Court against Dr Kapil Kakar. The consent was granted following a request made by the DHCBA in relation to a series of social media posts and videos allegedly published by Dr Kakar concerning the collapse of a building at Saidulajab near Saket Metro Station on May 30, 2026.
This case highlights the judiciary's stance on protecting its integrity from unfounded allegations on social media platforms.
