New Delhi, December 9, 2025 — The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to order the immediate removal of allegedly defamatory material posted online about Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, citing the need to involve the individuals responsible for uploading the content before taking any action.

The bench, led by Justice Amit Bansal, directed social media giant Meta to provide details of the uploaders of the content within three days and instructed Choudhary to serve a copy of the suit to these individuals. The court clarified that orders would be passed against the platform or the uploaders only if they failed to appear despite being served.

Choudhary’s counsel, Rajiv Nayyar, had urged the court to direct an immediate take down of the content, asserting that his client’s face was prominently displayed in posts allegedly featuring him in a phone conversation with a woman containing sexual undertones. Nayyar stressed that the online material was causing continuous reputational harm.

However, Meta’s counsel objected, noting that Choudhary’s suit sought directions solely against the platform without implicating the individuals who had uploaded the alleged defamatory material. They also pointed out that the content had been online since May 2023.

In response, Justice Bansal emphasized the need for due process: “You get them (the individuals who uploaded the video), and we will pass orders. If they do not come, we will pass an order. In all these matters, if the identity of the parties is known, you will have to serve them. Your face has been there for one year; you’ve woken up now. Let them come. You serve them, we will pass an order.”

The order was passed in Choudhary’s application seeking an early hearing of his suit. The High Court had earlier scheduled the next hearing for January 13, but Choudhary requested a prepone, citing “colossal damage” caused by the online content. The matter is now listed for hearing on December 16.