Delhi HC issues notice to Google, seeks reply to Aaradhya Bachchan's plea

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The Delhi High Court on Monday sought Google's response after Aaradhya Bachchan said her petition to restrain and take down misleading content on her health should be decided without hearing the YouTube channels that were not responding to her plea.

Justice Mini Pushkarna issued notice on an application by Aaradhya, daughter of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, seeking to proceed ex-parte since the defendants were not appearing in the matter and to pass a decree in her favour.

The high court posted the matter on March 17.

The application for a "summary judgment" was passed in a pending lawsuit by the minor child and her father.

The court on April 20, 2023 passed an interim order restraining several YouTube channels from publishing misleading content on her health and said spreading disinformation about a child reflected "morbid perversity".

It directed Google to take down from its platform certain videos claiming Aaradhya was "critically ill" and "no more".

The court also issued summons on the lawsuit to the YouTube channels, including "Bollywood Time", "Bolly Pakora", "Bolly Samosa", "Bollywood Shine" and others, saying a prima facie case was made out for grant of interim relief to prevent further prejudice.

The plaintiffs alleged there were certain "absolutely false" videos on YouTube about her health and private life that portrayed the Bachchan family name in bad light as the name itself was "protectable as a trademark" and "epitomised highest of virtues".

The videos violated the minor's privacy and the sole purpose behind the "distasteful content" was to "create shock value, gain overnight popularity" and profit, it said.