Misquoting Judges in Court Videos Amounts to Criminal Offense: SC

The Supreme Court of India has drawn a clear distinction between contempt of court and criminal conduct, ruling that deliberately misquoting judges in barred online court footage crosses the threshold into criminality. A three-judge Bench presided over by Chief Justice Surya Kant issued the directive while examining the practice of falsely attributing statements to judicial officers in restricted video recordings of court proceedings.

Beyond the issue of court clips, the Bench also flagged the practice of falsely imputing statements as part of oral submissions made by lawyers during court hearings. Such misrepresentation of counsels' arguments was characterized as equally problematic and potentially actionable under criminal law, the Court indicated.

The ruling underscores the judiciary's growing concern over the misuse of technology and digital platforms to distort judicial proceedings and statements made during hearings. The Supreme Court's intervention reflects broader efforts to maintain the integrity of court records and protect judges and legal practitioners from having their positions or arguments misrepresented.

The judgment carries significant implications for media organizations, digital platforms, and individuals who share or create content related to court proceedings. It establishes stricter liability for false attribution of judicial statements and highlights the legal consequences beyond traditional contempt of court proceedings.

This development comes amid increasing scrutiny of how court proceedings are documented, shared, and discussed on digital platforms, with the judiciary emphasizing the need for accuracy and accountability in all representations of judicial functions.