On 23rd July, the Delhi High Court directed social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and Google to take down posts against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s daughter Anjali Birla where it was claimed that she cleared Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams in the first attempt because of his father’s influence.
The matter was heard by Justice Navin Chawla. Google and X have been provided 24 hours to remove the posts. Furthermore, the court has restrained unknown persons (John Doe) defendants from making any further defamatory allegations against Anjali in the matter.
[BREAKING] Delhi High Court orders removal of social media posts questioning UPSC qualification of Lok Sabha Speaker's daughter
— Bar and Bench (@barandbench) July 23, 2024
Read more: https://t.co/SyAl0W2v7m pic.twitter.com/WoNhhVM4r9
While passing the interim order, the court said that Anjali made out a prima facie case that the posts in question were defamatory. Senior advocate Rajiv Nayar appeared for Anjali. The court was informed that a similar allegation had surfaced in 2021 but it was fact-checked by news publications and the controversy faded away.
Nayar told the court, “I became an officer in the year 2021 but now suddenly these things have come up again because of the NEET and UPSC exams controversy. It [the social media posts) make it feel as if we are all part of this… My private pictures are being posted online saying I am a model.” It was also pointed out that she is not an IAS officer but an Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer.
The allegations against Anjali went viral on social media soon after Om Birla was elected speaker for the second time. Notably, those who have passed UPSC like Puja Khedkar are facing allegations and action as they submitted fake documents during the UPSC selection process. Amidst the controversies, Anjali’s name was sucked into the controversy with many defamatory and derogatory social media posts made against her.
Several social media posts claimed that Anjali is a model by profession and she cleared UPSC exams using his father’s powerful position in her very first attempt. The claims were rubbished by Anjali. She stated that the handles posted against her were part of a “pre-planned conspiracy” aiming at defaming her and her father.
The case was mentioned before Justice Navin Chawla for urgent listing by Nayar which was allowed. X, Google and John Doe (unknown people) were made a party in the case. Anjali had provided details of 16 X accounts including a parody account of propagandist Dhruv Rathee who goes by the handle dhruvrahtee.
The allegations and viral posts on social media
The target was put on Anjali’s back with several social media posts including by the parody account of a German YouTuber. In now-deleted posts by the handle, it was claimed that Anjali was a model and she passed UPSC using his father’s powerful position. The posts went viral on social media leading to an FIR in Maharashtra. The FIR was registered Maharashtra Cyber Cell against this account and various other accounts under Sections 78, 79, 318(2), 352, 356(2), 353(2) and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita Act, 2023 and Section 66(C) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Notably, Maharashtra Cyber Police warned Dhruvrahtee on X that an FIR had been registered against the owner of the handle and directed him to remove nine objectionable posts. The posts were removed by the handle and an apology was posted on X that read, “As directed by @MahaCyber1, I have deleted all my posts and comments on Anjali Birla, I would like to apologize as I was unaware of the facts and copied someone else’ tweets and shared it.” The handle has been made a party in the defamation suit filed by Anjali in Delhi High Court. After that post, the parody account stopped vilifying her.
Though the parody account has deleted the posts, several posts against her are still online. A Samajwadi Party follower Surya Samajwadi shared a video of Lok Sabha proceedings and wrote, “Om Birla got angry as soon as a question related to UPSC corruption was asked in Parliament House. Om Birla fears that his daughter’s IAS career may be investigated.”
Social media handle ItsAarti_, who is famous for fake news published a post on 28th June and wrote, “Om Birla’s daughter, Anjali Birla, went from modeling to clearing the IAS exam in her first attempt. How did this happen???”
She also targeted Om Birla’s second daughter Akanksha Birla as well. In a post she wrote, “He is Om Birla. Om Birla is the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He has two daughters, who are into modeling: Akanksha Birla and Anjali Birla. His elder daughter (Akanksha Birla) became a CA in her first attempt. And his younger daughter (Anjali Birla) cleared UPSC in her first attempt. I’m not blaming anyone, just asking a simple question: is Om Birla misusing his power, or is it Modi magic?”
We also found posts from 2021 when this controversy first erupted.
Anjali’s old photographs were used to set a narrative that ‘she is a model’ and for that reason alone she is somehow incapable of having academic brilliance and lacks the merit needed to pass a competitive exam. Even in this post, an old photograph, possibly picked from her public social media account, was used. Abusive and foul language is common in such posts against Anjali.
Fake news peddler Neha Singh Rathore also shared a post targeting Anjali.
The posts against Anjali Birla were meant to target Speaker Om Birla. Without checking the facts about her educational background and her achievements, Anjali became an easy target for social media trolls, fake news peddlers and supporters of opposition parties.
