Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered journalist Rajdeep Sardesai to take down the video he uploaded on X (Twitter) accusing BJP spokesperson Shazia Ilmi of "abusing" an India Today video journalist.
The Court raprimanded senior journalist saying, "You had no authority to record and no authority to use."
According to Bar and Bench, Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora passed the order while hearing a defamation case filed by Ilmi against Sardesai, India Today and a host of social media platforms .
The Court stated that the order will remain in force until it hears Ilmi's application for interim relief in the matter. The Court has also ordered the blocking of the video on social media platforms. The interim order will remain effective until the Court hears Ilmi's application for interim relief. Additionally, the Court has directed social media companies to remove the video from their platforms, according to Bar and Bench.
Last week, Shazia Ilmi approached the Delhi High Court and filed a defamation lawsuit against journalist Rajdeep Sardesai over a video he uploaded, accusing Ilmi of 'abusing' a journalist from India Today.
On August 9, the Court ordered India Today and Rajdeep Sardesai to provide the full, unedited video by Monday (August 12) and scheduled a hearing to begin on Tuesday (August 12).
Shazia Ilmi's response
Soon after the High Court order, Shazia Ilmi expressed gratitude toward the judge for instructing the removal of the "smear video."
In a post on X, she wrote, "Now the political sting done against me by a political propagandist will no longer continue to cause the mental and emotional anguish I have endured all these days. Uparwala Sab Dekh Raha Hai."
She also thanked her supporters, saying, "A big thank you to all of you who supported me during these trying times of mental and emotional anguish. My family and I feel a deep sense of gratitude."
About incident
The dispute is over a TV debate on July 26 moderated by Sardesai on India Today. The debate, broadly themed over politics surrounding Kargil Vijay Divas saw discussion on Agniveer scheme and politicisation of armed forces as well. Major General (Retired) Yash Mor and Ilmi were on the panel.
As Major General Mor explained what he said were shortcomings in the Agniveer scheme, Ilmi intervened. This prompted Sardesai to say that Mor was putting forth 'hard facts'.
"Don't sermonise," said Ilmi. What followed was a heated discussion after which Ilmi left the show.
That night, Ilmi took to social media platform X and claimed that Sardesai reduced the volume of her mic during the debate.
In a post made the next morning, Sardesai accused Ilmi of 'abuse' of India Today's video journalist.
