Congress Moves Delhi High Court Seeking Rs. 2 Crore Damages from Arnab Goswami Over Istanbul Office Claim

The Indian National Congress has approached the Delhi High Court seeking damages of Rs. 2 crore from television anchor Arnab Goswami over an allegedly defamatory broadcast claiming that the party operated an office in Istanbul.

The matter is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday before Justice Mini Pushkarna.

According to the plaint, the impugned statements were made during a programme aired on Republic TV in May 2025, where Goswami allegedly asserted that the Congress maintained an office in Turkey. The party has categorically denied this claim.

The Congress has submitted that the broadcast was widely circulated across social media platforms, thereby amplifying the allegation and causing reputational harm.

The controversy arose in a politically sensitive backdrop, during the period of Operation Sindoor and heightened tensions following Turkey’s expression of support for Pakistan.

During the programme, Goswami is stated to have questioned Congress supporters about the party’s alleged presence in Turkey. He further suggested that such a presence reflected a compromise of national interest and implied alignment with adversarial nations.

Challenging these statements, the Congress has contended that they were false and defamatory, portraying the party in a manner capable of undermining public trust.

The plea further alleges that the broadcast used visuals of a building in Istanbul to substantiate the claim that it was the Congress party’s office. However, subsequent fact-checks and media reports revealed that the building shown was the Istanbul Congress Centre, a convention and events venue operated by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

According to the Congress, the use of these visuals, coupled with the narrative presented, amounted to dissemination of misinformation.

The party has argued that the false claim and its widespread circulation misled viewers and caused significant damage to its public image.

It is further stated that the broadcast, along with its repetition across digital platforms, contributed to a narrative not based on verified facts, thereby constituting defamation.

Following the controversy, Republic TV issued a clarification acknowledging that the use of the image of the Istanbul building was an editorial error.

Despite this clarification, the Congress has maintained that the damage caused was substantial and has sought Rs. 2 crore in damages for the alleged harm to its reputation.

Case Title: Indian National Congress (INC) v. Arnab Goswami And Ors.

Source: TOI