On May 30, 2025, the Supreme Court of India initiated suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against Ajay Shukla, the Editor-in-Chief of Varprad Media, for making “scathing and scandalous” remarks about a senior judge. The Court also directed YouTube to remove the video containing these remarks. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, Justice AG Masih, and Justice AS Chandurkar observed that such allegations, if widely published, could bring disrepute to the judiciary. While the specific judge was not named, it is noted that Shukla had recently posted a video making remarks against Justice Bela M. Trivedi.

The Court emphasized that while the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, this freedom is subject to reasonable restrictions, particularly when it comes to defaming judges and undermining the judiciary’s integrity. The Attorney General and Solicitor General were requested to assist the Court in the matter.

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