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Synopsis

The Delhi High Court has issued direction to Ashneer Grover, stipulating the removal of all defamatory and derogatory content aimed at BharatPe and its office bearers. This legal action stems from a series of contentious events that unfolded over a period of time.

The bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh, today, specifically instructed Grover to eliminate his disparaging posts within a strict time frame of 48 hours from the issuance of the order. Moreover, the court extended its reach to mandate the removal of an article published by the Economic Times dated March 7, which was predicated on Grover’s communications with the RBI Chairman.

This legal saga has its roots in a prior court ruling dating back to May of 2023. During this earlier instance, the court had already restrained Grover from employing 'unparliamentary' and 'defamatory' language in reference to the company. Grover was also fined INR 2 lakhs for violating explicit court orders.

The recurrence of such allegations suggests an ongoing conflict between Grover and BharatPe, characterized by repeated legal interventions to curtail defamation and derogation.

Representing BharatPe, Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal presented arguments asserting that the impugned article was founded upon letters authored by Grover, alleging fraudulent activities by the company vis-à-vis the regulatory body, thereby tarnishing its reputation and goodwill. 

In contrast, Advocate Giriraj Subramanium, representing Grover, contended that the article was based on an external report beyond their control, which was bound to become public knowledge irrespective of their actions.

Case Title: Resilient Innovations Private Limited v Madhuri Jain Grover & Ors