Now Reading: Bombay HC orders X to remove video against Serum Institute
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Bombay HC orders X to remove video against Serum Institute
The Story in Brief
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday, 29 September, directed X Corp to remove a fresh video uploaded by influencer Yohan Tengra that labels Serum Institute of India (SII) and its CEO Adar Poonawalla as 'mass murderers' over alleged side-effects of the Covid-19 vaccine. Justice Gauri Godse noted that Tengra uploaded the video on the same night the court restrained him on 5 June 2023 from publishing defamatory content, and that he stated he would not stop calling Poonawalla a 'mass murderer'.
The court issued show-cause notices to Tengra, his organisation Anarchy for Freedom India, Ambar Koiri and TV 10 L.I.V.E, returnable on 27 October, for alleged defiance of the earlier order. Advocate Karl Tamboly for SII argued X was obligated to remove the content, while X's advocate Mayur Khandeparkar said plaintiffs should initiate contempt proceedings. Justice Godse observed that while no prior directions were issued to X, sufficient grounds existed to direct removal of the fresh video citing a Supreme Court judgment. Livemint reports the court refused to issue blanket directions to intermediaries to censor future uploads or suspend accounts.
Indian Opinion Analysis
All three sources report the same core facts: Justice Godse directed X to remove Tengra's fresh video and issued show-cause notices. Times of India and LiveLaw present the order as a straightforward legal step, noting the court's reasoning that X could not be held liable without prior directions but must now comply. Livemint adds detail the others omit: the court explicitly refused to make intermediaries 'super-censors' under Section 79 of the IT Act, and that the defamation suit is for Rs 100 crore. The coverage is uniform straight reporting across outlets. The key open point is the 27 October hearing when Tengra and the others must respond to the show-cause notices.
Coverage: 3 sources, 3 neutral
Sources (3): timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), livelaw.in (neutral report), livemint.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
Update, 1 October 2026: this story now draws on 3 sources.
