HC restrains YouTuber from posting defamatory video against motivational speaker Sandeep Maheshwari
New Delhi, Jan 15: The Delhi High Court on Monday restrained Vikash Kotnala, the YouTube channel partner of entrepreneur Vivek Bindra, from posting defamatory videos or any other material against motivational speaker Sandeep Maheshwari.
In an interim order, Justice Prateek Jalan said prima facie there was a link between Kotnala and Bindra, also a motivational speaker, and Kotnala's videos amount to circumventing a Faridabad civil court's order passed last month that restrained both Maheshwari and Bindra from posting defamatory material against each other.
On December 22, 2023, a civil court in Haryana's Faridabad had said in order to preserve the peace, both the parties (Bindra and Maheshwari) were restrained from uploading any defamatory/ disparaging video on social media or any other online or offline mode against each other. The case, filed by Bindra against Maheshwari, is listed before the Faridabad court on Tuesday.
The high court was hearing a plea by Maheshwari seeking its direction to restrain Kotnala from making any defamatory or disparaging video against him.
The court said Maheshwari has made a prima facie case in support of his claim that irreparable harm would be caused if an injunction order was not passed.
"I am of the view that the publication of material by defendant no. 3 (Kotnala), who claims to be channel partner of defendant no. 2 (company owned by Bindra), has the effect of circumventing the injunction granted by the civil court and has the potential to cause irreparable prejudice to the plaintiff (Maheshwari) who has also been subjected to injunction.
"The balance of convenience is also in the plaintiff's favour Till the next date of hearing, defendant no. 3 is restrained from publishing any defamatory/ disparaging video against the plaintiff on any online or offline mode in line with the orders passed by the civil court," the judge said.
Senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Maheshwari, argued that Kotnala has been propped by Bindra to make allegations against Maheshwari.
He referred to two videos posted by Kotnala where he alleged that Maheshwari was trying to extort money from Bindra and that he (Maheshwari) was using students to oust a competitor (Bindra) from the market.
The lawyer said Bindra was also made a party to the suit but no order was being sought against him as he and Maheshwari are bound by the civil court's order.
During the hearing, the judge observed that social media was a strange world and that there was some sort of war which was starting on these YouTube channels.
"It is not that I am seeing this for the first time. There seems to be a very low level of discourse during this fighting between some rivals," the judge said.
Maheshwari and Bindra have been engaged in a war of words since December 11, 2023, when the former released a video titled Big Scam Exposed'. While the video did not name Bindra, social media users made the connection.
The allegation was that Bindra was running a scam and fooling young people by providing a 10-day MBA course.
In a few days, Maheshwari's video garnered millions of views after which he claimed that he was being pressured to take down the video.
Bindra, however, denied any wrongdoing and released a video on his YouTube channel answering Maheshwari's allegations.
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Klaasen, Kishan power SRH to 33-run win, top spot
Hyderabad (PTI): Heinrich Klaasen (69) and Ishan Kishan (55) made Punjab Kings pay dearly for their sloppy fielding, powering Sunrisers Hyderabad to a handsome 41-run win to jump to the top of the table in the IPL, here on Wednesday.
The duo helped in setting a challenging total of 235 for 4 after Punjab Kings opted to bowl.
In reply, Punjab Kings were restricted to 202 for seven to succumb to their third loss on the trot and slipped to second spot.
Cooper Connolly waged a lone battle for PBKS with a brilliant 107 not out from 59 balls (7x4, 8x6) but lacked support from the other end.
For SRH, Pat Cummins (2/34) and Shivang Kumar (2/45) were the main wicket takers.
Earlier, dropped on nine, Klaasen capitalised to smash three fours and four sixes in his 43-ball knock.
Kishan, who survived two reprieves -- a dropped catch and a missed stumping -- struck a brisk 32-ball 55, including two fours and four sixes.
For Punjab Kings, Yuzvendra Chahal was the most economical, returning 1/32, but endured a frustrating outing as all the dropped chances and the missed stumping came off his bowling.
Brief Scores
Sunrisers Hyderabad 235 for 4 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 69, Ishan Kishan 55; Yuzvendra Chahal 1/32). Punjab Kings (Cooper Connolly 107 not out; Pat Cummins 2/34, Shivang Kumar 2/45). SRH won by 33 runs.
