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Synopsis

Daryaganj has filed a defamation suit before the Delhi High Court against Moti Mahal, following allegations made in an article published by the Wall Street Journal. The matter is pending before the bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula.

The crux of the matter revolves around the usage of the term 'cheats' to describe Daryaganj in the article termed ‘The Bitter Brawl Over the Origin of Butter Chicken’. The article referenced the dispute between the brands claiming the invention of butter chicken and dal makhani.  

Represented by Senior Advocate Amit Sibal, Daryaganj underscored the significant damage caused to their reputation due to these derogatory statements. 

Advocate Shreya Sethi, representing Moti Mahal, provided insights into the steps taken by them to address the contentious remarks. Moti Mahal's officials approached another co-editor involved in the article, seeking access to recordings from the original interaction to ascertain the context and accuracy of the quotes attributed to them. Despite their efforts and concerns acknowledged by the editor, the decision was made to maintain the integrity of the published story. Advocate Sethi argued that the disputed comment, which Daryaganj found offensive, should be viewed within the journalistic framework of the article. She emphasized that it reflected the editorial perspective rather than being construed as Moti Mahal's definitive stance.

Senior Advocate Amit Sibal also highlighted the widespread circulation of the Wall Street Journal article across various websites. Advocate Sethi assured that Moti Mahal would communicate effectively with editors to appropriately address the information disclosed in these articles.

Advocate Sethi highlighted that Moti Mahal's objective was to clarify the origin and context of the statement under scrutiny, aiming to distinguish their position from the editorial decisions made during reporting. This effort was made to distance themselves from the remarks attributed to them, signifying that the statements labeled defamatory by Daryaganj did not align with their direct communications or intentions.

Therefore, the court directed Moti Mahal to submit an affidavit elaborating on their endeavors to disassociate themselves from the disputed statement in the published articles, within two weeks. Court has listed the case for May 29, 2024. 

Case Title: Rupa Gujral & Ors. v Daryaganj Hospitality Private Limited & Ors.