Messaging service provider Whatsapp on Friday told the Delhi High Court that it cannot take any action regarding the video showing a Delhi Judicial officer in a compromising position with a woman stated to be working in his staff, unless it was provided with the specific phone numbers and a court order.
Appearing for Whatsapp, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said that if they were provided with the required phone numbers, they will pull down the video and also the private chats, if ordered by the court.
The Single-Judge Bench of Justice Yashwant Varma then directed the Counsel appearing for the plaintiff to provide the phone numbers and fixed February 8 as the next date of hearing in the case.
Meanwhile, social media platforms Twitter, YouTube and Facebook apprised the High Court today that they have taken down the video and blocked several URLs related to the objectionable video.
The woman stated to be in the video had moved the High Court, arguing that the same was fabricated.
The short video clip had gone viral on social media in which a judicial officer was seen in a compromising position, allegedly with one of his court staff. The time stamp showed that the video was shot in March, 2022.
The High Court had passed an order on December 1, directing social media platforms to block and stop the circulation of the video.
Justice Varma had passed the order noting that the video was explicit in nature and an imminent, grave and irreparable harm was likely to be caused to the privacy rights of persons in the video.
Pursuant to that, the social media platforms took down the video.