Court Calls for Social Media Uploaders in Defamation Case Involving J&K Deputy CM

The Delhi High Court has directed Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary to include uploaders of alleged defamatory social media content in his defamation suit. The court granted an application to advance the hearing date, while instructing Meta Platforms to provide IP addresses and subscriber details.

The Delhi High Court has instructed Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary to identify and implicate the uploaders of certain allegedly defamatory social media content in his ongoing defamation lawsuit. Choudhary, representing the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, seeks a permanent injunction against what he claims are online posts with sexual undertones against him.

Justice Amit Bansal agreed to advance the hearing date from January 2026 to December 16 of this year. The deputy chief minister's counsel argued for the removal of objectionable content that reportedly shows his face alongside a woman in viral videos. Justice Bansal remarked on the delay, stating Choudhary had been aware of the content for over a year.

The court has asked Meta Platforms to provide IP addresses and subscriber information within three days to aid Choudhary in serving the uploaders. Additionally, the plaintiff was instructed to supply transcripts of the content for the court to determine its defamatory nature, as much of the material is allegedly linked to media reports from two years ago.

(With inputs from agencies.)