Sun Oct 12 01:10:31 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has ordered Meta and Google to remove allegedly defamatory videos circulating on their platforms against Padma Vibhushan recipient Jagadguru Rambhadracharya. The order comes in response to a petition claiming that a YouTube channel operator, Shashank Shekhar, is posting derogatory content against Rambhadracharya, mocking his disability and undermining his reputation as a spiritual leader and Vice Chancellor. The court has given the social media giants 48 hours to comply and scheduled the next hearing for November 11. The petition also calls for stricter regulations on social media content.
**News Article:**
**High Court Orders Meta and Google to Remove Defamatory Videos Against Padma Vibhushan Recipient**
**Lucknow, October 12, 2025:** The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has directed Meta and Google to remove allegedly objectionable videos circulating on social media platforms targeting renowned Ramkatha narrator and Padma Vibhushan awardee Jagadguru Rambhadracharya. The order, issued on Saturday, October 12, 2025, mandates the tech giants to remove the videos within 48 hours.
The decision comes after a petition filed by Sharad Chandra Srivastava and others alleged that one Shashank Shekhar, operating multiple channels on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, has been disseminating defamatory content against Rambhadracharya, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the Jagadguru Swami Ram Bhadracharya Divyang University in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh.
A division bench comprising Justice Shekhar B. Saraf and Justice Prashant Kumar instructed the petitioners to provide the specific URLs of the objectionable videos to facilitate their removal. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 11.
The petition highlights that despite objections from Rambhadracharya’s followers, the videos remain online. The content allegedly mocks Rambhadracharya’s disability, as he lost his eyesight in childhood, further amplifying the offense.
The plea also calls upon the Central and State governments to enact stricter regulations for social media platforms to curb the spread of defamatory content.
During the hearing, the State government informed the court that the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities had already taken cognizance of the issue and issued a notice to Mr. Shekhar, directing him to appear before the commission on October 18.
This case underscores the ongoing debate regarding the responsibility of social media platforms in regulating content and the urgent need for clear guidelines to protect individuals from online defamation and abuse.
First Piper 