Jahangir Sofi
Srinagar, Feb 05: A local Court Tuesday restrained social media portals from circulating videos against a private hospital in Srinagar.
The court also directed that already uploaded videos on social media by the group should be deleted.
A copy of the court order which is in possession of news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) read, “defendants mentioned in the court order restricts permanently from making any videos, transmitting, posting, re-posting or disseminating the same in any form against the plaintiff hospital and uploading any such videos over the social media platforms.”
Managing Director of the private hospital while speaking with KNO said that they are ready for any enquiry from the authorities.
“We have full sympathy and express condolences with the bereaved family. We are in the medical health care system, and no doctor on earth or any health institution be it private or government would like the patient to die,” he said.
“If the family felt there was medical negligence, nobody would have stopped them for approaching the correct platforms, we welcome all enquiries from the authorised departments.
“Some self-styled and pseudo media men uploaded videos on social media to malign and tarnish the image of our health institution. The court has already issued the orders and due course of action will follow as per the court orders,” he said.
“The recent one-sided videos circulated on social media by some men have posed a life threat for the doctor and the staff employed at the hospital. It also posed a damage threat for hospital infrastructure,” he said.
The court in its order has also mentioned the defendants, declaring them liable for any damage caused to the property of the hospital and life of the plaintiff and the staff posted or employed at the hospital as a result of the criminal incitement caused due to the making and uploading posting reposting sharing in any other forms the misinformation in the shape of videos over the social media platforms.
After hearing plaintiff through counsel Advocate Altaf Mehraj, the court of second additional Munsiff Srinagar Muneer Ahmad said that there appears a prima facie case in favour of the plaintiff and if any interim order is not granted, the plaintiff shall suffer irreparable loss.
The court directed defendants to restrain from uploading videos having provocative content. It further directed the defendants to remove the videos “which are provocative in nature, made and uploaded on the basis of the interviews.”
“This order is subject to objections from the other side (defendants) and the other side is at liberty to approach this court for modification or vacation of this order by the next date of hearing,” the court said.
The court observed that the cause of action has accrued in favour of the plaintiff on 20th of January 2021 when the video items made by the defendants were circulated over the social media platforms.
“The videos so made and circulated by the defendants and allowed/kept available for further sharing and viewing of the general public by the defendant social media platforms have given rise to a continuing cause of action in favour of the plaintiff Hospital against the defendants,” the court observed.
Earlier, the counsel of plaintiff pleaded that videos uploaded and circulated on social platforms have generated a public outcry and anger “due to misinformation/fake news on part of the defendants against the plaintiff hospital and its staff”—(KNO)
