Censorship – News Media /Documentaries

In a sweeping move, a Bengaluru court has ordered the takedown of thousands of links across media and social platforms, invoking a John Doe order in the Dharmasthala burial case.

Harshendra Kumar D, the brother of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade, has obtained an ex parte injunction to delete/de-index a staggering 8,842 links on the coverage of the allegations made by a sanitation worker that he has buried several bodies in Dharmasthala. These links include coverage by newspapers, TV channels, websites and YouTubers. Several tweets, Facebook posts and Reddit threads by individuals too have been mentioned in the petition filed by Harshendra.

The court has also issued an injunction order restraining the publishing, circulating, forwarding, uploading, transmitting and telecasting any defamatory content and information against Harshendra, his family members, institutions run by the family of the plaintiff and Sri Manjunathaswamy temple, Dharmastala, either in digital media, including YouTube channels, all social media, or print media of any kind, until the next hearing.

Judge Vijaya Kumar Rai of the 10th Additional City Civil & Sessions court said that the court was fully satisfied that the plaintiff had made out a strong prima facie case for the grant of ex parte orders. “Further, the balance of convenience lies in favour of the plaintiff and irreparable loss and hardship would be caused to the plaintiff if an order of ex parte temporary injunction is not granted,” the order said. Though Harshendra has named 338 organisations and individuals in his petition, he insisted on a John Doe order, which was granted by the judge. A John Doe order means the gag will apply to named and unnamed parties.