Supreme Court Orders Journalist to Remove Controversial Video Alleging Judicial Bias

The Supreme Court has taken decisive action against journalist Ajay Shukla, ordering him to remove a video that made serious allegations against a retired judge. The court initiated contempt proceedings, emphasizing that such claims could damage the judiciary's reputation. Shukla's video labeled Justice Bela M Trivedi as a 'godi judge,' a term used to describe pro-government judges. This ruling highlights the balance between freedom of expression and the need to maintain respect for judicial institutions. Read on to learn more about the implications of this case.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 30, 2025, 14:20 IST

Supreme Court's Action Against Journalist

On Friday, the Supreme Court mandated journalist and YouTuber Ajay Shukla to take down a video where he made serious allegations against a retired judge, as reported by a legal news outlet.

A bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai initiated contempt proceedings against Shukla, who serves as the editor-in-chief of Varprad Media, and issued him a notice.

Although the court did not specify the judge involved, Shukla had posted a video on May 18 on his YouTube channel titled “The Principle,” discussing the retirement of Justice Bela M Trivedi, labeling her a “godi judge,” which implies a pro-government stance.

Justice Trivedi is officially set to retire on June 9, but her last working day was May 13.

The term “godi judge” parallels the phrase “godi media,” coined by journalist Ravish Kumar to describe media outlets perceived as supportive of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The bench emphasized that such damaging allegations, when widely disseminated, could tarnish the reputation of the judiciary and noted that freedom of expression is subject to reasonable limitations.

“One cannot be allowed to make defamatory allegations against a judge of this Court, as it undermines the integrity of the judicial institution,” the court stated, according to another legal news source.