Karnataka High Court Suspends Live Streaming and Video Conferencing for Court Proceedings After Hackers Play Obscene Videos

Karnataka High Court has suspended live streaming and video conferencing in Bengaluru, Dharwad, and Kalburgi benches after an ‘inappropriate’ video was played by miscreants during a live streaming of a hearing recently. It is reported that unknown miscreants logged into its Zoom meeting platform and played pornographic video content on December 4 afternoon during the proceedings in about six court halls.

On Tuesday morning, the miscreants once again made an attempt to play the videos by logging in, as a result, the court’s administration chose to temporarily disable the videoconference and live streaming facility. The court termed the situation “unprecedented”, “An unfortunate situation has arisen. We are stopping live-streaming and video-conferencing facilities,” Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale said in the court.

BREAKING : Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale decides to stop all live streaming due to "mischief being played". pic.twitter.com/fwylhEOyJo

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) December 5, 2023

“The Karnataka High Court is always in favor of technology being used for better services for the public as well as for advocates. But for the situation which is unprecedented, we have to take this decision,” the Chief Justice said.

Since the onset of the pandemic, several High courts and the Supreme Court have been conducting hearings via video conferencing. Last year in February, the Karnataka HC livestreamed the hijab ban hearing on YouTube. It was the first instance of a constitutional case streamed live. Meanwhile, the cyber crime police in the central division have registered a case against unknown persons. N.Suresh, Registrar (Computers) of Karnataka HC approached cyber crime police and filed a complaint, FIR has been registered against an unknown individual under Section 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) and 67(a) (Punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act) of Information Technology Act, 2000 on Monday.