Actor Richa Chadha has come under judicial scrutiny after the Delhi High Court criticised her for amplifying unverified allegations against a man accused of sexual misconduct during a Delhi to Mumbai flight. The court observed that her repost of the claims along with the remark “Make him famous” contributed to public shaming and digital vigilantism.
The matter relates to an incident dated March 11, when a journalist alleged inappropriate physical conduct by a co-passenger during the flight. Shortly after landing, the journalist shared the accusation on social media platform X, identifying the man and posting his photograph along with professional details. The allegations quickly gained traction online and were picked up by multiple media platforms.
Among those who reposted the allegation was Chadha, whose comment “Make him famous” became part of the proceedings in a defamation suit later filed by the accused professional, who denied the allegations and stated he had remained seated throughout the journey and had fallen asleep shortly before landing.
While hearing the case on March 20, Justice Vikas Mahajan observed that Chadha’s endorsement of the allegation went beyond the scope of free expression. The court noted that her amplification of the claim along with the “instigatory” text had acted as “a catalyst for public shaming and digital vigilantism.”
The court further emphasised the responsibilities that come with public influence. “A public figure bears a legal and moral responsibility to verify the veracity of facts before leveraging her platform to amplify grave accusations,” the judge observed.
In another key observation, the court said, “The Court is prima facie of the view that endorsement of unverified allegations has inflicted immediate, exponential, and incalculable harm on the plaintiff’s reputation.”
During the hearing, the court noted that Chadha had already taken down the post. It also recorded that it expects her not to precipitate the issue …read more
Disclaimer : This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by FilmyFriday. Source:: BollywoodHungama
