Delhi HC Orders Removal Of Social Media Posts Against UPSC Qualification Of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's Daughter

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posted on 5 months ago — updated on 1 second ago

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The social media posts falsely alleged that she cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations on her first attempt due to her father's influence

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued an order directing the removal of defamatory social media posts against Anjali Birla, daughter of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, which alleged that she cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations on her first attempt due to her father’s influence.

Justice Navin Chawla presided over the hearing following an urgent plea filed by Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar.

During the proceedings, the court instructed X Corp. and Google to remove the disputed social media content within 24 hours. Justice Chawla further restrained unknown parties from directly or indirectly posting, circulating, communicating, tweeting, or retweeting the alleged defamatory content mentioned in Anjali’s defamation suit.

Additionally, the high court issued notices to X Corp., Google, the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and unknown parties on the suit and asked them to respond within four weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for October 15.

The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for October 15.

Anjali Birla, currently serving as an Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer, had filed a defamation suit against the dissemination of misleading and false information about her, which she contends is defamatory in nature.

Her counsel clarified that she appeared for the UPSC Central Services Exam (CSE) and was selected in the consolidated reserve list of 2019, subsequently joining the Indian Railways as an IRPS officer.

Following Om Birla’s election as Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha and amid the NEET paper leak controversy, numerous online posts claiming Anjali attained her IAS position due to her father’s “powerful position” went viral on social media platforms.

In her defamation suit, Anjali dismissed these allegations, asserting that the social media accounts involved are part of a coordinated effort to defame her and her father. She also identified 16 social media handles, including a parody account linked to YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, against whom legal action has been initiated, as per Bar and Bench report.

(With inputs from PTI)