Online banter could be contempt: Bombay HC

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has held that any social media message aimed at interfering with the implementation of a court order will be treated as contempt.

A bench of Justice Gautam Patel was hearing the chamber summons filed by a decree holder through advocate Prerak Sharma, informing the court of various obstructions being created by the owner of a property in Dadar to delay its sale.  

The sale of the property was intended to help the decree holders recover an amount of Rs 8.19 crore plus costs owed by the owner. The sheriff had been asked to conduct an auction of the property and pay the decree holders the amount due to them from the proceeds of the sale.

The sheriff’s office also informed the court that the owner was refusing to vacate the premise where he had his office and was creating various hurdles to delay the auction of the property.

After hearing all sides, justice Patel told the flat purchasers that as they had booked the flats after the property was attached, they could claim no relief and that they should have observed diligence before giving their money. He further warned the owner of contempt if he tried to obstruct the sale of the property. He also said that any obstruction in the form of social media messages to scare away prospective buyers would be treated as contempt of court, and directed the sheriff’s office to go ahead with the sale of the property