SC dismiss PIL alleging circulation of deepfake videos of Col Sofiya Qureshi
New Delhi, May 16 (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL alleging circulation of AI-generated deepfake videos of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The PIL sought setting up of a court-monitored expert panel for drafting a model law to deal with such online content.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh agreed with the petitioner-in-person Narendra Kumar Goswami that it was a "serious issue" but said that similar issues are being dealt with by the Delhi High Court by a bench headed by the chief justice.
"We are not saying that it was not a serious issue but the Delhi High Court has been hearing this issue for a couple of years. If we entertain this petition, the high court will stop hearing the pending matter and all its hard work over the years will go in vain. It will be appropriate, if you approach the Delhi High Court," the bench said.
Goswami said he was disturbed with the circulation of deepfake videos of Qureshi, who was part of the team which gave briefing on Operation Sindoor.
He submitted that numerous fake videos of the Army officer were being circulated online.
The bench said that these cyber criminals are so faster than the regulating authorities that before the petitioner goes out of the courtroom, a new video will come up.
The top court asked the high court to accord audience to the petitioner and hear his suggestions on the issue.
"We do not deem it necessary to entertain this petition and initiate a parallel proceeding. The petitioner is relegated to Delhi High Court with liberty to seek his impleadment as intervenor and assist in the pending matter," the top court said while dismissing the PIL.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
