Delhi High Court Ruling.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s daughter, Anjali Birla, who serves as an Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer, has received significant relief from the Delhi High Court. Anjali Birla had approached the court challenging the false claims circulating on social media. These claims suggested that she passed the UPSC examination on her first attempt solely due to her father’s influence, despite her being a model by profession. On Tuesday, a bench led by Justice Naveen Chawla addressed the issue.
Court Orders Action.
The Delhi High Court has instructed CX and Google to remove all posts on social media alleging that Anjali Birla’s success in the UPSC examination was due to her father’s position. The court noted that these allegations were made without proper verification. Justice Naveen Chawla remarked that the language of these posts was inauthentic and lacked verification. The directive requires that these posts be promptly removed from all platforms.
Background of the Claims.
Anjali Birla contended that the social media posts were derogatory and false. The controversy gained traction amidst Om Birla’s re-election as Lok Sabha Speaker and the NET UG paper leak scandal. It was claimed that Anjali’s appointment as an IAS officer was due to her father’s influential position, despite the UPSC exam being one of the toughest in the country. Anjali Birla denied these claims, arguing that they were part of a premeditated conspiracy aimed at defaming her and her father.
Details of the Petition.
Anjali Birla included both CX and Google in her petition, detailing sixteen accounts, including YouTube, where the defamatory posts appeared. Despite the confusion regarding her professional status—where claims were made about her being an IAS officer, whereas she is an IRPS officer—Anjali had indeed appeared for the UPSC exam in 2019.
Outcome.
The High Court’s recent ruling provides significant relief to Anjali Birla, with instructions issued for the immediate removal of all defamatory content.