Mumbai: HC directs Centre and State to block obscene videos of minor

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has directed the Union and State Governments to take necessary steps to remove certain nude and explicit obscene videos of a minor which were uploaded on porn websites early this year.

A division bench of Justices RD Dhanuka and MM Sathaye, on Wednesday, directed the Central Government, its department concerned and the State Government to “block the links” of the two websites forthwith and asked them to file affidavits showing compliance on December 23, 2022.

The HC was hearing a petition by the victim, who is now an adult and pursuing a medical course, seeking that the authorities be directed to remove the videos and take necessary actions against those running the websites.

According to the petition, the petitioner recently learnt that her certain nude and explicit obscene videos were uploaded on about 19 porn websites. On September 15, she registered a complaint with the Bandra Kurla Complex Police Station. Following the complaint, out of 19 links, 13 links containing such videos were removed.

Since few such websites are still operating and have not taken down her objectionable videos, she filed a petition before the HC.

She has sought that action be taken against culprits, who according to her, are operating other six links.

Observing that the respondents “cannot be allowed to continue the said website links till further orders”, the HC has issued notices.

Advocate Uma Wagle, accepted the notice on behalf of the Union government and its department. Government pleader Poornima Kantharia accepted the notice on behalf of the State Government.

“In our prima facie view, the respondent Nos 4 and 5 (website operators) have committed violation of various provisions of the Information and Technology Act, 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 made under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000,” said the HC.