Parody of HC goes viral on social media

While no citizen in the nation dares to even criticize the judiciary, a 22-year-old graduate from the city, is mocking the ‘Bombay High Court’ day-in and day-out on the social media through his sarcastic verdicts coupled with humour.

Akash Shah, who moved in Mumbai seven years before, has created two parody accounts on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter with the name of Bombay High Court along with pictures of the 150-years-old actual HC building.

While Shah claims that no law can prevent him from running such a page, senior lawyers and prime advocates associations’ of Maharashtra have condemned it.

Speaking to the Free Press Journal, Shah said, “I made a parody account of HC because there was never any account that targeted such institutions. So, I chose Bombay HC because there is always some or the other debate over its verdict. Also, I wanted to make soft roasts on people with the stereotypes of Bombay, its lifestyle, its people etc.”

According to Shah, who also works in the social media team of All India Bakchod (AIB), he has consulted AIB’s legal team apart from his relatives in the legal fraternity. He claims that there is no law that can prevent him from ‘making mockery’ of the courts. He said, “The laws are often misinterpreted. The laws say that one can make mockery of the court but cannot show them in bad light. I have been told (by lawyers) that even if there is any legal issue, a public notice saying that it is just a parody account will help me.”

On the other hand, the Bombay Bar Association (BBA) and the Association of Advocates of Western India (AAWI) have said that the page must be pulled down. Senior counsel Milind Sathe, President of BBA said, “The name and pictures of the Bombay HC cannot be used as they are not permissible under The Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act. One cannot use the name for their personal use. There are chances that no one would have taken a cognizance of this page but we will look into this and surely take some action.”

However, Shah has maintained that he will not pull down the page unless there is a ‘court order’ and there is a ‘big issue’ on this. He has also said that if the court asks him to scrap his page, then this would curtail his ‘fundamental rights’.

The laws are often misinterpreted and it say that one can make mockery of the court but cannot show them in bad light. -Akash Shah