Adani, Newslaundry, Ravish Kumar agree on status quo till Delhi court decides on ‘defamatory content’ plea

Last week, the Centre had directed Newslaundry and Ravish Kumar to take down alleged defamatory content against Adani Enterprises Limited.

Written by Sohini Ghosh

Updated: September 26, 2025 03:39 PM IST

3 min read

The status quo shall continue till AEL’s application is decided by a civil judge at the Rohini court.

Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), news media company Newslaundry and journalist Ravish Kumar told the Delhi High Court on Friday that they were agreeable to maintaining a status quo till a civil judge decided on AEL’s plea seeking a permanent injunction against alleged defamatory content against the company.

In effect, Newslaundry and Kumar will not have to take down any further material uploaded on their website or other intermediaries than what exists as of 12 pm on September 26. The status quo shall continue till AEL’s application is decided by a civil judge at the Rohini court. It does not, however, prevent Newslaundry or Kumar from uploading fresh material on AEL.

It was pursuant to the proceedings before the civil judge earlier this month that the court had ordered an ex parte gag order against alleged defamatory content on September 6. Following the gag order, the Centre, through its Information and Broadcasting Ministry, had issued a communique on September 16 to Newslaundry and Kumar to comply and take down alleged defamatory content against AEL.

According to Newslaundry, it did not take down any material pursuant to the government order.

Newslaundry and Kumar had moved the Delhi High Court, specifically challenging the September 16 government order for “overreach”, even as the government had told Justice Sachin Datta on Thursday that the government is merely equivalent to a “post office” communicating court orders to concerned parties for compliance as is required of the government under the IT Rules.

Senior advocates Saurabh Kirpal and Trideep Pais, appearing for Newslaundry and Kumar, informed Justice Datta on Friday that all parties have now agreed to maintain a status quo till AEL’s application before the Rohini court is decided and disposed of.

Recording the submission, the court also noted in its order that it has been agreed by the parties that in case Newslaundry and Kumar have taken down any material from their website pursuant to the government communique of September 16, the same shall not be reuploaded, and the understanding shall subsist until final disposal of AEL’s application before the civil court in Rohini.

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The court also directed the Centre to “address a corrigendum” in light of the latest development and agreement at the Delhi High Court, under IT Rules.

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