Delhi HC Issues Notice to Abhijit Iyer Mitra Over Greater Kailash Resident's Privacy Plea
The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notices and summons to commentator Abhijit Iyer Mitra, X, Google, and several media platforms and law portals on a lawsuit filed by Saurav Das alleging the unlawful publication of his residential details in Greater Kailash.
Justice Sachin Datta sought responses from the defendants on the suit as well as an interim injunction application, listing the matter for its next hearing on September 14. The court also granted the plaintiff time to file an amended memo of parties to ensure the correct entities are impleaded in the plea.
Das, who is a spokesperson for the Cockroach Janta Party, filed the suit seeking the protection of his right to privacy, dignity, and security, alongside damages for alleged violations of his privacy rights. In his plea, Das stated that he has been living in a rented room in Greater Kailash since last year and that the defendants unlawfully discovered, recorded, published, and repeatedly disseminated his residential address.
The plea further alleged that additional personal details were publicized, including particulars regarding his background, parents, and sexuality. Das also claimed that some defendants trespassed into his shared residential premises, recorded its interiors, and posted the footage on social media platform X.
In his petition, Das requested a permanent and mandatory injunction to restrain Iyer, X, Google, and other platforms from publishing, circulating, or disclosing his residential details. He also sought directions requiring the platforms to remove and disable public access to videos and posts containing that information. During the court proceedings, it was noted that X had already taken down tweets that revealed Das's residential address.
Das submitted to the court that due to his journalistic work, public disclosures made in the public interest, and political engagement, he had previously faced targeted hostility and violent threats. He argued that the repeated disclosure and online amplification of his exact home address creates a real and foreseeable risk of violence directed at him in and around his residence.
