ANI sues YouTuber Mohak Mangal over Rs 40 lakh extortion claim

New Delhi: Asian News International (ANI) has taken YouTuber Mohak Mangal to the Delhi High Court, accusing him of defamation after he alleged the news agency demanded over Rs 40 lakh to lift copyright strikes on his videos.

The suit also names Kunal Kamra and Mohammed Zubair for amplifying the video and making “false, malicious, and damaging” statements against the agency.

Filed through Advocate Akshit Mago, the suit is listed for hearing on May 29.

In his May 25 video, Mangal accuses ANI of using YouTube’s copyright system to extort creators and calls the demand for money “blackmail.” ANI’s suit hits back, claiming Mangal admitted to using their original copyrighted content for revenue but still ran a smear campaign to damage ANI’s credibility and trademarks.

“The video is defamatory, misleading, and intended to harm ANI’s reputation and commercial standing,” the plea states.

The agency also accuses Kamra and Zubair of posting “independent defamatory remarks” beyond sharing the video, alleging a coordinated attempt to discredit ANI and its founders.

ANI is seeking a permanent injunction against Mangal to remove the video, stop using its trademarks, and refrain from posting further defamatory content.

The agency sought similar gag orders against Kamra, Zubair, and others for allegedly spreading falsehoods.