CJP's Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka to delete posts against BJP's Gaurav Bhatia; Delhi HC asks Meta, X to take down identical posts in future

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka on Thursday agreed to take down the artificial intelligence (AI) generated posts published by them on X against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia (plaintiff)..Justice Tushar Rao Gedela recorded in order that Das and Ranke have undertaken to take down the objectionable posts against Bhatia."Counsel for D1 (Saurav Das) says the impugned tweets will be taken down today. Counsel for D2 (Ranka) states that his tweet will also be taken down today itself," the Court noted in its order.The Court also said that Bhatia can approach Meta and X with regard to identical posts made in future. Meta and X should consider the same and take appropriate action, and if there is any impediment in removing the posts, the same should be communicated to Bhatia, who can then approach the Court. While Bhatia pressed for a dynamic injunction, the Court said such directions are not being issued at this stage. The Court also issued summons to Das, Ranka and CJP founder Abhijit Dipke in the defamation case filed by Bhatia against them over the posts.The Court directed the three defendants to file their response to Bhatia's suit.Pertinently, the Court said that it is not imputing anything against the three CJP defendants as of now."For the time being we want to make sure there is no acrimony on this issue. We are not imputing anything against anyone right now," the judge said.The Court also remarked that CJP head Abhijit Dipke had not put any post against Bhatia. .Bhatia moved the Court seeking ₹2 crore in damages and an injunction against the CJP leaders.He sued the CJP and its leaders after an AI-generated graphic falsely attributed remarks about Swatantra Bhardwaj to Bhatia. Bhardwaj is accused of assault on the father of CJP activist Nishu Azad.The post stated that Bhatia called Bhardwaj a "dimagi naxal".Das shared the graphic on X, prompting Bhatia to deny making the remarks and give him 24 hours to delete the post and issue an unconditional apology.Das, who later deleted the post, clarified on his X account that it was AI-generated, but asked Bhatia whether he “disagreed” with the AI-generated statement.CJP co-convener Ashutosh Ranka allegedly amplified the disputed post by reposting the graphic from Das's account, adding a caption mocking BJP leaders..During the hearing, the Court asked Das and Ranka about whether they would want to take down the posts themselves, a suggestion to which they eventually agreed."There are different ways of protesting. Do you really need to go to this? You are youngsters. You have your anxiety. That's understandable but saying something like this or putting something like this may not be correct. We don't want to pass an order that you take it down. You may want to do it yourself," the Court told Das and Ranka..The Court also asked Bhatia about whether it was necessary to escalate the matter."Now there is something else. What we want to say is that there is a lot of anxiety. We understand. We also passed through the same age. It's not that Mr Gaurav Bhatia has not gone through this age. But expressions. See, Mr Bhatia, there are other ways of handling it instead of coming here," the Court told Bhatia.Advocate Nakul Gandhi appeared for Dipke and stated that he had made no tweets regarding the fake quote and there was no cause of action against him. After the Court issued summons to the defendants, Bhatia sought a dynamic injunction.However, the Court said that this is not an intellectual property suit and it cannot grant a dynamic injunction without hearing the other side.Bhatia pointed out that Das had put out a tweet about him even as the matter was being heard."When my lords said they should take it down, they posted a tweet within 2 minutes. Please understand more than a million, 2 million people are watching the tweets," Bhatia stated.However, the Court said that such lampooning on social media is part of public life and even the judiciary faces it."Mr. Bhatia, lot of people say a lot of things about the court. I am just generally saying, people do lampooning, people do so many things, we take it. You have a right to protect your reputation, we don't doubt that," the judge said.The Court eventually also allowed Bhatia to approach Meta and X in case of identical posts."Apart from the above, plaintiff (Bhatia) is permitted to approach Meta and X (D5 and D6) directly if any identical post or tweet is made. D5 and D6 may consider the same and take appropriate action. In case there is any impediment in complying with request, D5 and D6 are at liberty to expresss the same in writing to the plaintiff who can approach the Court," the Court directed..[Read Live Coverage]