On Monday, in remarks reflecting the growing scrutiny of judicial figures online, Justice N. Senthilkumar of the Madras High Court noted that even judges are increasingly targeted on social media for their orders. Speaking during the hearing of a petition concerning alleged online defamation, the Judge observed, “Who is spared in social media? Even judges are being trolled. In fact, personally, we're being trolled for some of the orders we pass. Past is pulled in, family members are brought in..”
The comments were made while hearing a petition filed by Chef Madhampatty Rangaraj, who sought to restrain celebrity stylist Joy Crizilda from making statements disparaging his personal and professional reputation. The petitioner contended that false claims, including alleged marriage and pregnancy, had been circulated online, affecting both his life and that of his two school-going children.
Justice Senthilkumar reflected on the unavoidable nature of such scrutiny in positions of influence, stating, “We should only smile at this. These are all things we should avoid. When you reach a status in society, either politically or socially or financially, these things are going to happen. For every action there will be a reaction.”
Advocate Srinath Sridevan, representing Rangaraj, emphasized that the social media posts were harming his client’s personal and professional life, and noted that others online were leveraging the situation for monetary gain. Despite the submissions, the Court declined to grant interim relief and instead issued notice to the defendant.
The matter has been adjourned to October 22 for the filing of a counter.
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