The Delhi High Court has issued strict directions to the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), ordering them to remove social media posts that link BJP national secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam to the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case.
Justice Mini Pushkarna passed the interim order while hearing a defamation suit filed by Gautam, who alleged that political parties and individuals were spreading false and damaging claims about him online. The court directed that the posts must be taken down within 24 hours of the order.
Court Bars Political Parties From Naming Gautam as ‘VIP’
The court also restrained the Congress, AAP, and other defendants from posting or circulating any material that portrays Gautam as the so-called “VIP” linked to the murder case.
The judge made it clear that no one should upload, publish, or share any content that directly or indirectly connects Gautam to the crime. The restraint applies to posts, videos, statements, and digital content across platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
Social Media Platforms Directed to Act if Parties Fail
The court also warned that if Congress, AAP, and other accused parties fail to delete the posts within the given time, major social media platforms will be asked to remove the content themselves.
Companies such as X, Meta, and Google will have to take down the disputed posts once they are notified, as per digital platform rules. The court further allowed Gautam to flag any similar content in the future, which would then have to be removed.
Gautam Claims Serious Damage to His Reputation
In his lawsuit, Gautam stated that he has never been named or questioned in the Ankita Bhandari investigation. He said his reputation of several decades in public life was being unfairly destroyed by false allegations.
His legal team argued that the case already resulted in convictions after a full trial and that spreading new accusations without evidence amounts to serious defamation. The court agreed that Gautam had made out a prima facie case and noted that failing to stop the circulation of such content could cause him irreparable harm.
What Was the Ankita Bhandari Case?
Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist at a resort in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district, was murdered in 2022. The resort owner and two of his employees were arrested and later sentenced to life imprisonment.
Recently, an audio clip released by actor Urmila Sanawar referred to an unnamed “VIP” allegedly linked to the case. This triggered political reactions and online speculation, which Gautam says wrongly dragged his name into the controversy.
₹2 Crore Defamation Suit Filed
Dushyant Gautam has sought ₹2 crore in damages from multiple defendants, including Congress, AAP, Sanawar, Uttarakhand Congress leaders, and certain social media users. He claimed the allegations were politically motivated and aimed at tarnishing his public image ahead of elections. The matter is now scheduled to be heard again on May 4.
A Clear Message From the Court
The High Court’s order sends a strong signal that political criticism must remain within legal boundaries and that unverified accusations, even on social media, can have serious legal consequences. For now, all parties involved must remove the disputed content and refrain from making further claims linking Gautam to the case.