The legal machinations involving Subodh Gupta continued in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday. The artist has filed a defamation suit against the person or people behind the @herdsceneand Instagram handle. The account levelled several accusations of sexual harassment against the artist, allegations Gupta denies in full.
Given that the case hinges on the veracity of the claims levelled at Gupta, yesterday’s hearing sought to ascertain whether the account holder is willing to represent all victims of the artist’s alleged sexual harassment, or whether the court should implead them en masse, a procedural device before trial in which one party joins a third party into a lawsuit because that third party is liable to an original defendant.
At the same hearing Gupta’s accuser was granted continued anonymity, the defence lawyer noting that exposing the identity of the Instagram account holder was likely to cause them harm. The judge, Justice R S Endlaw, however ordered all existing posts relating to Gupta must be taken down and no new posts were to be made.
The case continues.
23 January 2020
