Delhi Court Bars Publication Of Unverified Defamatory Content Against Adani Enterprises

In a significant legal development, a Delhi court has restrained journalists, activists, and foreign-linked NGOs from publishing unverified defamatory content against Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL).

Senior Civil Judge Anuj Kumar Singh passed the interim order on Saturday, providing relief to the business conglomerate amid allegations of coordinated defamation.

AEL filed the suit citing alleged defamatory publications on websites such as paranjoy.in, adaniwatch.org and adanifiles.com.au, along with related social media posts and videos, claiming that the defendants designed them to tarnish the group’s reputation and disrupt its global operations.

The defendants include Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Ravi Nair, Abir Dasgupta, Ayaskanta Das, Ayush Joshi, Bob Brown Foundation, Dreamscape Network International, Getup Limited, Domain Directors Private Limited (trading as Instra), and unidentified persons.

The court directed the defendants to remove any material found to be unverified or prima facie defamatory within five days. The court instructed intermediaries like Google, YouTube, and X to disable access to the content within 36 hours of notification by AEL if the defendants cannot remove it themselves.

Court Notes Prima Facie Case & Balance of Convenience

The judge observed, “There is a prima facie case in favour of the plaintiff. Continual forwarding, publishing, re-tweeting, or trolling could further tarnish the company’s public image and may result in a media trial.”

The injunction restrains the defendants from making any further unverified or unsubstantiated statements regarding AEL and allows the company to notify additional links for removal.

The matter has been adjourned for further proceedings on October 9, 2025. The ruling marks a significant assertion of corporate rights in the digital and social media space, highlighting the judiciary’s role in curbing potential reputational damage from unverified publications.

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