The Kerala High Court has initiated contempt proceedings against advocate Mathews J Nedumpara following allegations of unauthorized recordings of court proceedings, which were subsequently uploaded to his YouTube channel. This action has led to a restriction on his participation in online court sessions across Kerala until further notice. The case, titled Suo motu proceedings initiated by the High Court v. Adv Mathews J Nedumpara, was brought before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar VM.
Unauthorized Recordings Lead to Contempt Proceedings
The court’s decision came after the registry filed a report indicating that Nedumpara had repeatedly violated court protocols by recording and sharing court sessions. This act contravened Rule 3(9) of the Electronic Audio-Video Linkage Rules (Kerala), 2025, which explicitly forbids broadcasting, photographing, publishing, recording, or sharing court proceedings without express written permission from the High Court or the concerned judicial forum.
Court’s Directive and Future Proceedings
In light of these violations, the court has directed the court department to serve notice to Nedumpara within a week, with a returnable date set for September 7, 2026. The court emphasized, “Considering the fact that the alleged contemnor is an advocate, we are not formally issuing a rule of contempt at this stage.” However, it stated that Nedumpara is barred from engaging in any virtual or online court proceedings in Kerala until further orders are issued.
Potential Criminal Contempt Charges
Further complicating matters, the court noted that the titles of the videos uploaded by Nedumpara, such as “You be the judge. Cameras can’t lie. Denial of Justice to MSMEs. Watch full video on my YouTube and X,” could constitute criminal contempt under Section 2(c)(i) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
Immediate Compliance and Communication
The court has instructed the circulation of this order to the judges of the High Court and district courts for their awareness. Additionally, the Registrar (Computerisation)–cum-Director (IT) has been informed to ensure compliance, and the registry is tasked with communicating the order to the alleged contemnor promptly.
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The court will review the matter again on September 7 as it continues to address the serious implications of the alleged actions by Nedumpara. As this case unfolds, it serves as a crucial reminder of the rules governing court proceedings and the importance of maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of judicial processes.
