On Friday, the Bombay High Court has denied restraining media organizations and social media platforms from publishing information related to actress, Shilpa Shetty Kundra and her husband, Raj Kundra. Raj has recently been arrested for connection in producing and providing porn videos.

For the unversed, actress, Shilpa Shetty Kundra on Thursday had visited the high court accusing the social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and other local media of publishing defamatory content about the actress.

After hearing the matter, Justice Gautam Patel had said what Shilpa Shetty is looking at in her report against some platforms will “have a chilling effect on the freedom of the press”. He further added, “Reportage of something based on what police have said is not defamatory.”

In the police report filed by the actress, it seemed like the actress was not happy with certain media channels for publishing news reports about her breaking down when Mumbai Police officials took Raj Kundra to their residence for investigation last week.

Shilpa’s advocate, Biren Saraf objected to such reports, arguing that it was “something that happened between a husband and wife, and should not have been reported”.

Not agreeing with Shilpa’s displeasure, Justice Patel said that the incident (Shilpa Shetty breaking down) took place in front of outsiders (police) and it was reported from “crime branch sources”. The court further added that since Shilpa Shetty is a public figure so such articles are not defamatory from any angle. 

In his statement, Justice Gautam Patel said, “You (Shetty) chose a public life. Your life is under a microscope. Firstly, articles saying she cried and fought with her husband when her statement was recorded, are not defamatory. It shows that she is a human.”

After hearing Shilpa’s side of the story, the court mentioned in its order, “No part of this order (should) be construed as a gag on the media. I am making no order, but this is not refusal of interim or ad-interim relief.”

Justice Patel also explained that in his order none of the reportage on Shilpa Shetty should be related to the parenting of her children. “That part is protected by her right of privacy under the wide protection recognized by the freedom of the press to be balanced with the right of privacy.”

Well, seems like Shilpa is having a stroke of tough luck at present.