Video uploaded by Dhruv Rathee withheld in India, global blocking pending: YouTube tells Delhi High Court

Google on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) knowledgeable the Delhi Excessive Court docket that it has withheld a YouTube video uploaded by social media influencer Dhruv Rathee in India, following allegations that the content material was defamatory and offended spiritual sentiments.

The submission was made earlier than Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma in a petition filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who has sought removing of the allegedly objectionable video.

In line with Ms. Sachdeva, the influencer uploaded the video on March 21 and it subsequently garnered hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. She alleged that the video contained “false, deceptive and provocative statements” regarding Lord Shri Ram, Lord Krishna and Goddess Sita.

Google, which owns YouTube, informed the court docket that the video had been withheld in India pursuant to an order of the Centre’s Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC). Its counsel clarified that the restriction was restricted to India, with the query of blocking the video globally pending earlier than a Division Bench of the Excessive Court docket.

Ms. Sachdeva, nevertheless, submitted that the GAC had on July 15 directed Google to take down the video inside 24 hours, however the platform had solely withheld it in India, which, in line with her, amounted to “partial compliance” with the order.

With Division Bench

Justice Sharma famous that the problem of a world injunction was already pending earlier than the Division Bench. “No matter they may do, they’ve already executed,” the court docket noticed whereas posting the matter for listening to on September 3.

The proceedings stem from Ms. Sachdeva’s earlier plea searching for removing of the allegedly objectionable video.

Ms. Sachdeva stated she initially lodged a criticism with the Cyber Crime Cell on March 22, 2026, adopted by a grievance earlier than YouTube’s Resident Grievance Officer on March 23.

After Youtube declined to take away the content material, stating that they’re unable to establish any violations of their neighborhood tips, the advocate approached the GAC on March 27. The petition alleges that regardless of the Info Know-how Guidelines requiring appeals to be resolved expeditiously, ideally inside 30 days, the attraction remained undecided for greater than two and a half months.

On July 3, the Excessive Court docket had directed the GAC to resolve her grievance inside 15 days, following which she moved an software alleging non-compliance with the course.