Mumbai court issues contempt notice to Sundar Pichai over YouTube's non-compliance
Mumbai: A Mumbai court has issued a contempt notice to Google CEO Sundar Pichai over YouTube's failure to comply with a takedown order concerning a video allegedly defaming the Dhyan Foundation and its founder, Yogi Ashwini.
The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court at Ballard Pier issued the notice on November 21, with the contempt petition filed by the Dhyan Foundation now set for hearing on January 3, 2025.
The controversy began in March 2023 when the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of the 38th Court, Ballard Pier, directed YouTube to remove a video titled "Pakhandi Baba ki Kartut". The NGO alleged that the video contained baseless and malicious allegations that harmed its reputation.
YouTube, owned by Google, argued that as an intermediary under the Information Technology Act, it was immune from liability for such content and claimed that defamation does not fall within the purview of s. 69-A of the Act, which deals with content blocking. The platform contended that such disputes should be addressed in civil courts.
Rejecting YouTube’s technical objections, the court maintained that criminal courts were not barred from intervening in such matters. The court also noted that the defamatory nature of the video was undisputed and warned that its circulation could pose a threat to public peace.
The Dhyan Foundation alleged that YouTube’s non-compliance with the takedown order led to the filing of the contempt petition in October 2023, with the notice being issued a year later in November 2024.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
