New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday (May 16) refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging online circulation of numerous deepfake videos of Colonel Sofia Qureshi, who briefed the media on ‘Operation Sindoor’ on May 7 along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and granted liberty to the petitioner to seek his impleadment as intervenor before the Delhi High Court.
Petitioner Narendra Kumar Goswami, who submitted that numerous fake videos of Army officers were being circulated online and that he was disturbed with the circulation of numerous fake online videos of Colonel Sofia Qureshi, sought setting up of a court-monitored expert committee for drafting a model law to deal with such fake online content.
Delhi High Court dealing with pleas with similar issues, bench noted
A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh agreed that it was a serious issue but noted that the Delhi High Court was dealing with pleas with similar issues and it did not want to initiate a parallel proceeding.
“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.
Apex court granted liberty to petitioner to seek his impleadment as intervenor before High Court
The bench, while dismissing the PIL, granted liberty to the petitioner to seek his impleadment as intervenor before the High Court and asked the High Court to accord audience to the petitioner and consider the suggestions given by him.
“We do not deem it necessary to entertain this petition and initiate parallel proceedings. The petitioner is relegated to the Delhi High Court with liberty to seek his impleadment as intervenor and assist in the pending matter. We request the High Court to accord audience to the petitioner and consider the valuable suggestions as may be given by him,” the bench said.
The High Court is seized of pleas seeking regulation of deepfakes technology.
