Adani defamation case: Court says Thakurta not liable to follow restraining order

New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) A Delhi court on Thursday said journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta was not liable to follow the directive to take down alleged defamatory content against Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), till further orders.

Thakurta and others were restrained from publishing or circulating purported unverified and defamatory content against AEL.

District judge Sunil Chaudhary, who was hearing Thakurta’s appeal against the September 6 order, said, "The court of senior civil judge, northwest, is directed to hear the appellant also along with other defendants on September 26…" He said the civil judge, while passing "fresh orders" had to "consider the principles of law settled qua the grant of interim injunction".

"The appeal is disposed of accordingly, and the appellant will not be liable to follow the order dated September 6 till fresh orders are passed by the court of the senior civil judge upon hearing him," the judge said.

On September 18, district judge Ashish Aggarwal allowed an appeal filed by four journalists, Ravi Nair, Abir Dasgupta, Ayaskanta Das and Ayush Joshi and set aside the civil judge's order, saying the effect of the removal of the articles by an ad interim ex parte order was "sweeping" and it had the "effect of decreeing the suit itself without a trial".

"All contentions of the parties are left open. It is directed that fresh orders be passed by the court of the senior civil judge on the application…after hearing the appellants (before this court) and also the respondent 1 (AEL). The court may decide the application uninfluenced by any observation made by this court," the judge said, disposing of the appeal.

Acting on AEL's defamation complaint, a civil judge on September 6 directed 10 defendants to take down the contentious material, like articles and social media posts, already published on various platforms, including websites, within a stipulated period.

The defendants are Thakurta, Nair, Dasgupta, Das, Joshi, Bob Brown Foundation, Dreamscape Network International Private Limited, Getup Limited, Domain Directors Private Limited trading as Instra and "John Doe". PTI MNR MNR AMK AMK