Agreement reached as Delhi court prepares to make a final ruling on Adani’s injunction request.
Journalist Ravish Kumar and the digital news outlet Newslaundry have reached an agreement with Adani Enterprises regarding a case centered on allegedly defamatory content. This arrangement comes as both parties await a final ruling from a Delhi court concerning Adani Enterprises’ request for an injunction order aimed at removing specific articles deemed damaging to the company’s reputation.
Under the terms of this agreement, Newslaundry and Kumar are not required to remove any existing articles. However, any material that has already been taken down following a civil court directive cannot be re-uploaded. The interim arrangement is set to remain in effect until the court reaches its decision on the injunction request.
The High Court recently disposed of two writ petitions filed by Newslaundry and Kumar, which contested the government’s directive to remove content related to Adani Enterprises. This legal matter arises from a defamation suit initiated by Adani, alleging that various journalists, activists, and organizations have undermined the company’s reputation, resulting in significant financial losses for its stakeholders.
Adani Enterprises, which serves as the flagship company of the Adani Group, had previously received an ex parte injunction from Special Civil Judge Anuj Kumar Singh of the Rohini Courts on September 6. This emergency directive required the defendants to either expunge the contested material from their articles and social media posts or remove it within a five-day timeframe. An ex parte order is typically issued in urgent situations without providing an opportunity for the other party to present its case.
Despite this injunction, the court clarified that it did not intend to impose a blanket restriction on fair, verified, and substantiated reporting. It also specified that the defendants should not be barred from hosting, storing, or disseminating articles, posts, or webpage links that fall within those parameters.
Following the court’s directive, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an order on September 16, mandating twelve news outlets and independent journalists to take down content that was allegedly defamatory towards Adani Enterprises. This directive was issued in alignment with the earlier ruling by the Delhi court.
In their petition to the High Court, Newslaundry argued that their reports did not contain defamatory material, asserting that the government’s directive exceeded the original instructions given by the trial court. Similarly, Kumar contended that the government’s order was unconstitutional and represented an unprecedented exercise of executive authority.
