The Delhi High Court on Friday, 4 July 2025, directed the Union government's Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) to decide within 15 days an appeal seeking removal of a YouTube video by popular content creator Dhruv Rathee, which has been alleged to contain defamatory content and to have hurt the religious sentiments of Hindu devotees. The direction was issued while disposing of a petition filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva.

What the Court Directed

A single-judge Bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma passed the order while disposing of the petition, instructing the appellate authority to act expeditiously. The court stated: 'The appellate authority shall decide the petitioner's appeal expeditiously, within a period of 15 days from the date of receipt of this order. In case of any further grievance, the petitioner can file a fresh petition.' The court further clarified that any disregard of its directions would be viewed seriously.

What the Video Is Alleged to Contain

The video in question is titled 'Can Hindus eat BEEF? | Kerala Story 2 EXPOSED', uploaded on 21 March. According to the petition, the video allegedly and falsely claimed that revered Hindu figures — including Lord Ram, Sita, and Lord Krishna — consumed meat and alcohol, thereby hurting the religious sentiments of devotees. The petition described the video as 'highly derogatory, inflammatory and communally sensitive' and sought its immediate removal.

What the Centre and Google Said

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Union government, submitted that the intermediary ought to have exercised due diligence by taking down the content. He argued that the video contained disparaging material against Hindu deities and was harmful and divisive. Citing a previous Delhi High Court judgment, ASG Sharma submitted that intermediaries are required to assess whether content is harmful to society and remove it accordingly. He further contended that either Google should voluntarily remove the video or a formal order could be passed in line with the law laid down by the court.

Counsel for Google LLC informed the court that a response had already been furnished to the petitioner and that an appeal was pending before the GAC. The counsel also submitted that the intermediary would comply with any judicial order passed in the matter.

Parallel Criminal Proceedings

Beyond the High Court petition, advocate Sachdeva has also initiated criminal proceedings relating to the video before a metropolitan magistrate, where an action taken report has reportedly been sought from the police. This marks a multi-pronged legal challenge against the content.

Broader Context

This case arrives amid heightened scrutiny of digital intermediaries' content moderation practices in India. The GAC, established under the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, is the statutory appellate body for grievances unresolved by platforms. Courts have increasingly directed the GAC to expedite pending appeals, signalling judicial impatience with delayed content moderation decisions. This is not the first time Rathee's videos have attracted legal challenges, though the creator commands one of India's largest YouTube subscriber bases.