New Delhi [India]: The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed 12 news outlets and independent journalists to comply with a Delhi court order to take down allegedly defamatory content targeting the Adani group.

Details of the directive

The ministry issued the notice on Tuesday night, asking platforms such as Newslaundry, The Wire, and HW News, along with journalists including Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Ajit Anjum, Ravish Kumar, and satirist Akash Banerjee, to remove 138 YouTube links and 83 Instagram posts.

Copies of the notice were also served to Meta and Google, which own Instagram and YouTube, respectively. The directive cites a recent court order in the civil suit Adani Enterprises Ltd vs Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Others.

A senior civil judge of the North West Delhi district court had passed an ex parte order on September 6, instructing the respondents to remove content alleged to be defamatory. An ex parte order is issued without hearing the defence, meaning the court acted on the plaintiff’s submission alone.

The ministry instructed the platforms to take “appropriate action for compliance” and to submit a report of actions taken within 36 hours.

Background of the case

Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, who is the primary respondent in the suit, has previously published multiple investigations into alleged malpractices by the Adani group in India and abroad over the past decade. He resigned as editor of the Economic and Political Weekly in 2017 after the journal withdrew an article in which he accused the group of tax evasion in collusion with the government.

Guha Thakurta is currently facing seven defamation cases filed by the Adani group. He and other respondents are expected to appeal the court’s order on Wednesday.

Reactions

Journalist Ravish Kumar reacted on X, saying:

“September 17 should be celebrated in India’s history as the ‘Adani Video Takedown’ Day. On the occasion of victory over YouTubers, the great Adani can also hold programs on their channels…”

The move has sparked debate over freedom of the press, defamation laws, and the scope of government intervention in content regulation on digital platforms.

Conclusion

The ministry’s directive underscores the ongoing legal tussle between prominent journalists and corporate entities, while raising broader questions about media freedom, accountability, and digital content regulation in India.