Hyderabad: Telangana High Court has issued a notice to Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla in a contempt case pertaining to Islamophobia tweets. After hearing a contempt petition filed by a practising lawyer Khaja Aijazuddin, a bench comprising the Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Vijay Sen Reddy directed the Union Home Secretary file the counter within six weeks.
In 2020, the lawyer had filed a Public Interest Litigation (WP-PIL) before the High court, seeking for Writ of Mandamus directing the official respondents including the Union Home secretary and Twitter to stop the illegal trending on the Social Network of Twitter under the name #Islamiccoronavirusjihad, #Coronajihad, #tablighijamat or #islamophobic Posts.
On April, 4, 2021 the court passed orders saying “it is directed that the respondent to consider the contentions made in the petition and take appropriate steps, if considered expedient, as contemplated in law”. The said direction to the respondent, presupposes that pleading made by the lawyer in the PIL petition needs to be considered by the respondent and take necessary action against the Twitter and its users who were involved in spread hatred messages on Twitter by initially registering Criminal Case against the Twitter and thereafter Criminal Law of motion needs to be put in. The illegal acts of spreading hatred messages on Twitter by Social Network
On April 22, 2021, the then Chief Justice Hima Kholi and Justice B. Vijay Sen Reddy asked home secretary, ministry of home affairs, government of India, to evaluate the pleadings made in the petition and take necessary actions, if regarded expedient, as envisioned by law. Since the Union Home ministry had failed to comply with the court’s direction, Advocate Aiajazuddin filed a contempt case seeking action against the Union Home Secretary for non-compliance of the order.
The court however posted the matter after six weeks.
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