Delhi High Court Weekly Updates [July 25 – August 2, 2025]
1. [Udaipur Files] The Delhi High Court on Friday, August 1, 2025, recorded the Centre’s statement that it would withdraw its July 21 order clearing the release of the film Udaipur Files and reconsider the matter after hearing all concerned parties. However, during the pre-lunch hearing, the court pulled up the Centre over its decision-making process, questioning whether it had overstepped its revisional powers under Section 6(2) of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, since the film had already been certified.
Udaipur Files: Delhi HC Seeks Fresh Call from Centre After Withdrawal of Clearance
Case Title: Mohammed Javed v. Union of India
Bench: Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela
2. [Terror Funding Case] The Delhi High Court on Thursday, 31 July 2025, issued notice to the National Investigation Agency on a plea filed by MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, also known as Engineer Rashid, challenging a trial court order framing charges against him in a terror funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Separately, the court directed that Rashid’s plea against the condition requiring him to bear travel expenses for custody parole to attend Parliament be placed before the same High Court bench that had imposed the condition while granting parole.
Delhi HC Seeks NIA’s Reply on Plea by Engineer Rashid Against Framing of Charges in UAPA Case
Case Title: Abdul Rashid Sheikh v. National Investigation Agency
Bench: Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Shalinder Kaur
3. [LG Saxena-Medha Patkar Defamation Row] The Delhi High Court on July 29 upheld the criminal defamation conviction of activist Medha Patkar in a 2001 case filed by Delhi LG V.K. Saxena. While the court refused to interfere with the sentence imposed by the trial court, it offered some relief by relaxing her probation terms. Justice Shalinder Kaur allowed Patkar to appear before the trial court every three months either in person, through video conferencing, or through her counsel.
No Relief for Medha Patkar: Delhi HC Upholds Conviction in Defamation Case by LG VK Saxena
Case Title: Medha Patkar v. LG VK Saxena
Bench: Justice Shalinder Kaur
4. [NewsClick ED-EOW Case] The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, granted anticipatory bail to NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha in two separate cases, one filed by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged money laundering and another by the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing over foreign funding. The ED had conducted raids at NewsClick’s office following an FIR registered in August 2020, alleging that the portal received foreign funds disguised as foreign direct investment to promote pro-China content through its stories.
Delhi HC Grants Anticipatory Bail to NewsClick Founder in ED, EOW Cases
Case Title: Prabir Purkayastha v. Directorate of Enforcement (another connected matter)
Bench: Justice Neena Bansal Krishna
5. [Celebi Security Clearance Case] The Delhi High Court on Thursday, 31 July 2025, again rejected a petition filed by Turkish company Celebi Ground Handling India Pvt. Ltd., which had challenged the Central government’s decision to withdraw its security clearance on grounds of national security. The High Court had recently upheld the Centre’s move to revoke security clearance for Celebi Airport Services and its affiliate, Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management, both operating in India under Turkish ownership. In a detailed 94-page judgment, Justice Sachin Datta ruled in favour of the Centre, holding that national security is an exception to the rule of natural justice, even if not expressly stated in the Aircraft Security Rules.
Delhi HC Rejects Celebi’s Challenge to Revocation of Security Clearance
Case Title: Celebi Ground Handling India Private Limited v. Union of India Judgment
Bench: Tejas Karia
6. [Nutella Trademark Ruling] The Delhi High Court has declared “Nutella,” the popular hazelnut and cocoa spread, as a well-known trademark under Section 2(zg) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. The ruling was passed by Justice Saurabh Banerjee in a suit filed by Italian confectionery giant Ferrero, which sought a permanent injunction, damages, and official recognition of ‘Nutella’ as a well-known mark. The court also noted that the trademark had already been recognised as well-known by the World Intellectual Property Organization and the International Trademark Association.
Case Title: Ferrero SpA & Ors v. M.B. Enterprises
Bench: Justice Saurabh Banerjee
7. [POSH: Facebook‑WhatsApp as Workplace]The Delhi High Court recently upheld the findings of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) against a Delhi University professor, affirming that virtual interactions between a teacher and students, such as those over WhatsApp and Facebook, fall within the definition of “workplace” under the POSH Act, 2013. The court, while delivering the judgment, held that no case of perversity, procedural illegality, or denial of natural justice had been made out to warrant interference in the disciplinary proceedings.
POSH: Facebook, WhatsApp Is “Workplace”, Delhi HC Upholds IC’s Recommendations Against DU Professor
Case Title: Dr. Amit Kumar v. University of Delhi
Bench: Justice Subramonium Prasad
8. [Anti-Arbitration Injunction Case] The Delhi High Court recently ruled that civil courts retain jurisdiction under Section 9 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, to grant anti-arbitration injunctions even in foreign-seated arbitrations, if the proceedings are marked by vexation, oppression, or are contrary to India’s public policy. The court observed that the expectation of fairness and neutrality, which governs judicial proceedings in a civil court, is not diminished in arbitration. On the contrary, it assumes even greater significance in arbitral proceedings.
Civil Courts Can Restrain Foreign Arbitrations if Vexatious: Delhi High Court
Case Title: Engineering Projects (India) Limited v. MSA Global LLC (Oman)
Bench: Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav
9. [Veerji Malai Chaap Trademark Ruling] The Delhi High Court has awarded Rs 5 lakh in damages to the restaurant chain Veerji Malai Chaap Wale and restrained several other eateries from infringing its registered trademark. A bench of Justice Amit Bansal passed the order while hearing a plea by the restaurant chain seeking a permanent injunction against multiple defendants to prevent them from using deceptively similar marks. The Court observed that the defendants had been taking unfair advantage of the plaintiff’s goodwill and reputation
Delhi HC Awards Rs 5 Lakh To Restaurant Chain ‘Veerji Malai Chaap’ In Trademark Row
Case Title: MS Veerji Restaurant Private Limited vs Yash Rai & Ors.
Bench: Justice Amit Bansal
10. [POCSO Consent Case] The Delhi High Court has held that merely because a girl befriends a boy, it does not give him the liberty to have sexual intercourse with her without her consent. In doing so, a bench led by Justice Girish Kathpalia dismissed the bail plea of a man accused of sexually assaulting a minor, facing charges under Sections 376, 342, 354(D), and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, along with Sections 6 and 12 of the POCSO Act.
“As regards the argument of it being a case of consensual relations, merely because a girl befriends a boy, the latter cannot be given liberty to indulge into sexual intercourse with her without her consent,” the court said.
Friendship No License for Non-Consensual Sex: Delhi HC
Case Title: Mohammad Shahid @ Sahid vs. State (NCT of Delhi) & Anr.
Bench: Justice Girish Kathpalia