On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court raised an interesting question on the thin line between satire and defamation while dealing with a plea by BJP functionary Gaurav Bhatia over viral social media posts about his appearance on a television debate.
Gaurav Bhatia approached the Court after images circulated online showing him in a kurta without a pyjama during the show. He clarified that he had been wearing shorts and that the lower portion of his attire was mistakenly captured by the cameraman.
Counsel for Gaurav Bhatia argued that the content was defamatory and violated his privacy, stressing that the image was taken from within his home and shared without his consent.
Justice Amit Bansal observed that politicians are expected to be thick-skinned, but emphasized that satire must not cross the line into defamation. He noted that Gaurav Bhatia had voluntarily given the interview and the media had not intruded into his private space, though offensive remarks could not be permitted. Declining to pass an ex parte injunction, the Court listed the matter for hearing on September 25.
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