Delhi court issues bailable warrants against YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in a 2018 defamation case. (Img: X)
New Delhi: A Delhi court has issued bailable warrants against YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in a defamation case dating back to 2018 over a video concerning the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Information Technology (IT) cell. The development follows renewed efforts by the complainant to secure Rathee’s appearance after repeated attempts to serve court summons reportedly remained unsuccessful for several years.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Rahul Jain of the Saket Courts issued the warrants on Saturday, October 17, after the court was informed that a notice had been served but the premises were found locked. The case centres on allegations made by complainant Vikas Sankrityayan, also known as Vikas Pandey, who contends that Rathee published and circulated allegedly defamatory claims in a video titled BJP IT Cell Part II.
The issuance of a bailable warrant is a procedural step intended to secure a person’s appearance before the court. It does not establish guilt or amount to a finding that the allegations of defamation are true.
The proceedings stem from a video published by Rathee in May 2018, in which he allegedly claimed that members of the BJP’s IT cell had attempted to bribe an individual to malign him. The complainant subsequently initiated defamation proceedings, alleging that the video contained false and damaging assertions about him.
According to reports, the video was also circulated on social media and was retweeted by Arvind Kejriwal, who was serving as Delhi Chief Minister at the time. The legal proceedings were initiated against Rathee and Kejriwal in connection with the video and its circulation.
The complaint alleges that the publication harmed the complainant’s reputation. These allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings, and the court has not established the truth of the disputed claims merely by issuing the latest warrant.
The latest order follows an earlier direction issued on October 12, when the Saket court ordered fresh summons to Rathee after the complainant sought an expedited hearing and renewed efforts to ensure service.
The complainant’s side argued that attempts to serve summons had been unsuccessful over an extended period because Rathee ordinarily resides abroad, including in Germany. The court was informed that he was currently in India and was believed to be staying at an address in Gurugram, Haryana.
The complainant also sought permission to accompany the process server to facilitate service. The court allowed the request and directed the complainant to deposit the prescribed process fee within two days.
According to the reports, Rathee had initially been summoned on July 23, 2019, and the complainant maintained that efforts to secure service had continued since the proceedings began. The court was subsequently informed that the latest attempt had not resulted in successful service at the premises because the property was locked.
The complainant had sought advancement of the hearing, which was otherwise scheduled for November 20, citing information that Rathee was in India in connection with the CJP protest. The court subsequently listed the matter for October 17, when it issued the bailable warrants. The next hearing is scheduled for October 31.
The dispute centres on Rathee’s allegations about the BJP’s IT cell and an alleged attempt to bribe a person to discredit him. The complainant, Vikas Sankrityayan, has challenged the publication on the grounds that the claims were defamatory and caused reputational harm.
The case has remained pending amid reported difficulties in serving court notices. The latest proceedings bring the question of Rathee’s appearance before the court back into focus, although the substantive allegations will have to be assessed through the judicial process.
Rathee is a prominent YouTuber known for political commentary, explainers and videos addressing public affairs. His content has frequently generated political debate, particularly on issues involving the central government, political parties and public institutions. However, the allegations in this case must be distinguished from broader political disagreements over his commentary.
Separately, Rathee is facing another legal dispute before the Saket court concerning a video that allegedly suggested that Lord Ram and Goddess Sita consumed meat and alcohol during their period of exile.
The complainants, who identify themselves as Hindu devotees, have alleged that the video hurt their religious sentiments. They have sought an ex-parte ad-interim injunction seeking to restrain Google from restoring, hosting, uploading, sharing or disseminating the disputed video, or content with identical or similar material, during the pendency of the suit.
The requested relief also refers to verification of the relevant URL before action is taken. The injunction request is a separate legal issue from the 2018 defamation proceedings and should not be treated as a finding against Rathee.
The matter is now scheduled for October 31, following the issuance of bailable warrants on October 17. The next stage will depend on the court proceedings and the steps taken to secure Rathee’s appearance.
