New Delhi, May 7 The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to grant any interim injunction in a defamation suit filed by industrialist Anil Ambani against NDTV and other media entities seeking a blanket restraint on publication and removal of news reports relating to ongoing investigations involving Reliance group companies.
While refusing to pass any ad-interim relief restraining publication of the reports at this stage, a single-judge Bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad sought responses from NDTV and other defendants on Ambani’s plea and listed the matter for further hearing in July.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for Anil Ambani contended that continuous reporting by NDTV was directly attributing developments in the ongoing investigations to him personally, though the matters pertained to Reliance group companies in which, according to the suit, he held no executive role.
It was argued that such reporting created a misleading association and warranted immediate injunctive protection. However, the Delhi High Court orally observed that there was a distinction between “news” and “views” and remarked that the plaintiff would have to demonstrate that the reporting was so incorrect that it required an injunction.
Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao, appearing for NDTV, opposed the plea and argued that the suit raised serious issues concerning prior restraint on media reporting and the Constitutional protection of free speech under Article 19(1)(a). It was further submitted that the impugned publications were based on official and publicly available records, including releases issued by investigating agencies in relation to ongoing investigations and judicial proceedings.
After hearing the submissions, Justice Prasad observed that orders restraining publication in such matters were not ordinarily passed on the very first date of hearing, particularly when issues involving free speech and media reporting arose for consideration.
The Delhi High Court ultimately declined to grant any interim protection to Ambani and merely issued notice on the interim injunction application.
The matter arises out of reportage concerning ongoing investigations by central agencies into alleged financial irregularities and loan “fraud” involving Reliance Communications (RCom) and its group entities.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had stressed the need for a coordinated, transparent and time-bound probe, directing Central agencies, including the ED and the CBI, to “join hands” in unearthing the truth behind the alleged financial irregularities and loan fraud involving RCom and associated entities.
NDTV was represented by senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao, along with a team of lawyers led by Ruby Singh Ahuja, Vishal Gehrana, Ravneet Kaur Malik and Pragya Goyal from Karanjawala and Co. Apart from NDTV, the suit also names AMG Media Networks Limited, IANS and other individuals as defendants.
IANS, one of the defendants in the matter, has maintained that it is committed to objective and factual reporting. Its reports concerning the investigations in question were based on official press releases and statements issued by investigating agencies, including the CBI and the ED, and were published in good faith without any deliberate intent, bias or motivated angle.
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