Delhi Court Lifts Publication Ban on Journalists in Adani Enterprises Defamation Dispute
Delhi Court: Journalists Must Be Heard Before Restraining Alleged Defamatory Reports on Adani
A Delhi Court on Wednesday set aside a trial court’s order that had restrained journalists Ravi Nair, Abir Dasgupta, Ayaskant Das and Ayush Joshi from publishing allegedly defamatory stories against Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL).
District Judge Ashish Aggarwal of Rohini Court, hearing the appeal filed by the four journalists, held that the earlier order of the Senior Civil Judge (SCJ) was unsustainable as it was passed without giving the defendants an opportunity to be heard.
Advocates Vrinda Grover and Nakul Gandhi appeared for the journalists.
The Court noted that while Adani Enterprises had objected to several articles and posts spanning 2024–2025, the trial court restrained the journalists without considering their defence.
“The SCJ ought to have made an opinion of the content. The defendants should have been given an opportunity of hearing before passing the order. That not having been done, the order is not sustainable,” Judge Aggarwal observed.
The Court also highlighted the impact of the earlier order, noting that it effectively allowed the plaintiff to approach intermediaries for removal of material it considered defamatory. “An incorrect determination by intermediaries would bring those who have not complied with it in the teeth of contempt,” the judge remarked.
Accordingly, the order was set aside but limited in effect to the appellants before the court. The trial court has been directed to decide the interim relief application afresh, after giving both sides a proper hearing, by October 15, 2025.
The connected appeal by Senior Journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta in the matter is pending before another judge of the same court. The other bench had reserved order, today morning.
Senior Advocate Trideep Pais, appearing for Thakurta had assailed the injunction order as “over-broad” and “without reasoning,” contending that it did not specify what content was defamatory or why it merited a gag order. “On this basis an ex parte injunction was given, and it also permitted the plaintiff to directly approach intermediaries to seek takedown of material,” Pais had submitted.
The order in question was passed on September 6 in a suit filed by Adani Enterprises Limited.
During the course of arguments, Senior Advocate Anurag Ahluwalia appearing for the Adani Enterprises had contended that the articles cited in the plaint spanned from 2017 till August 2025, and there was “nothing urgent” about the matter. “It is claimed that the context is defamatory, but it is not shown what is defamatory. Articles and websites are shown, but no finding has been given on what part is false or harmful,” Pais had argued.
Notably, on September 6, the order was passed by SCJ-cum-RC Anuj Kumar Singh of Rohini Courts in a fresh civil suit filed by AEL alleging that targeted defamatory campaigns by reporters, activists, and certain organizations had severely damaged the Group’s global reputation, hindered its projects, and shaken investor confidence. The Court had registered the suit, issued summons to the defendants, and directed service through ordinary process, registered post, electronic means including WhatsApp and email, as well as dasti service.
The Court had held that Adani had demonstrated a prima facie case, with balance of convenience in its favour, since continued circulation of unverified articles could further tarnish its reputation and cause irreversible loss to investors and stakeholders.
Hearing Date: September 18, 2025
Bench: District Judge Ashish Aggarwal