VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday expressed its ire on social media platform Twitter for failing to remove the alleged derogatory comments posted against the High Court judges and the judiciary. It questioned Twitter as to why it is not respecting the law of land and the courts when they are operating from India. Stating that failure to remove the derogatory comments posted on it against the High Court judges and the judiciary is tantamount to contempt of Court, it asked Twitter why action should not be initiated against it.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy directed the CBI to submit a progress report of the investigation and posted the case hearing to February 7.Taking exception to the derogatory comments posted in the social media platforms against the judges of the High Court and judiciary and lack of action on part of the police department, the registrar general of the Andhra Pradesh High Court had filed a petition in the court. Arguing for the CBI on Monday, additional solicitor general (ASG) SV Raju said Twitter is yet to remove the objectionable posts against the judges and judiciary. He said those posts are not visible, if one logs into their Twitter accounts using Indian nationality, but they are visible for those logging into Twitter using other nationalities. “This is nothing but ignoring the directions of the court,” he said.
At that time, counsel for Twitter submitted to the court that all the URLs given to them by the CBI were removed and they had no intention of ignoring the court orders. On the posts visible in other countries, he argued that the Twitter programme itself is like that and even other social media platforms fol low the same principle. Objecting to his argument, senior advocate Sajan Puvvaya, representing YouTube, said Twitter is blaming others for its mistakes. “We have removed all the 160 URLs given to us by the CBI and will remove any URLs if the CBI gives them in future,” he said. Intervening, the bench expressed its ire on Twitter and said those operating from India must follow the law of land. If the derogatory posts against judges and judiciary are visible on Twitter, if logged from the accounts other than India, then nothing is more atrocious than this, it observed. Stating that the attitude adopted by Twitter tantamount to contempt of court, the bench said it would direct authorities concerned to file an FIR against Twitter.
It said they are not against anyone, but some individuals are taking undue advantage of the system. Arguing for Registrar General, senior advocate N Ashwin Kumar submitted to the court that using Virtual Private Network (VPN), the removed videos are being made visible again. When the bench sought the details of the progress in investigation in the case, the ASG informed the court that a detailed affidavit will be filed by next hearing. Meanwhile, hearing in the suo-motu contempt petition by the High Court has also been adjourned to February 7. Gopalakrishna Kalanidhi, one of the respondents in the contempt case, filed an affidavit, tendering unconditional apology it, his name was removed from the list of respondents.