On 6 September, a senior civil judge at the North West Delhi district court issued an ex parte order, mandating the removal of content.
Published Sep 17, 2025 | 11:21 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 17, 2025 | 11:21 AM
Adani Group logo. Credit: iStock
Synopsis: The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has ordered 12 news outlets and journalists, including Newslaundry, The Wire, Deshbhakt, and Ravish Kumar, to remove 138 YouTube links and 83 Instagram posts deemed defamatory to the Adani Group, following a Delhi court’s ex parte order. Non-party recipients face compliance within 36 hours, with an appeal set for Wednesday.
The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has instructed 12 news outlets, independent journalists and YouTubers to adhere to a Delhi court order to remove defamatory content concerning the Adani Group.
On Tuesday evening, the ministry issued directives to platforms such as Newslaundry, The Wire, and HW News, as well as journalists including Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Ajit Anjum, and Ravish Kumar, and YouTuber Akash Banerjee, to delete 138 YouTube links and 83 Instagram posts.
Ravish Kumar posted on X: “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…”
17 सितंबर का दिन भारत के इतिहास में ‘अदाणी वीडियो टेकडाउन’ दिवस के रुप में मनाया जाना चाहिए। यू-ट्यूबरों पर विजय प्राप्ति के उपलक्ष्य में महान अदाणी भी अपने चैनलों पर कार्यक्रम कर सकते हैं। मोमबत्ती प्रज्ज्वलन के साथ पथ संचलन कर सकते हैं। जन्मदिन की पूर्व संध्या पर सूचना प्रसारण…
— ravish kumar (@ravish_journo) September 16, 2025
The notice, which was also sent to Meta and Google, the owners of Instagram and YouTube respectively, references a recent court order from a civil case titled “Adani Enterprises Ltd vs Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Others”.
On 6 September, a senior civil judge at the North West Delhi district court issued an ex parte order, mandating the removal of content that the plaintiff claimed was defamatory to its business interests. An ex parte order is issued without hearing the defence.
“You are directed to take appropriate action for compliance of the aforementioned Order, and submit the action taken to the Ministry within 36 hours of the issue of this communication,” the ministry stated.
Except for Guha Thakurta, none of the other recipients of the notice are parties to the lawsuit. The appeal by Guha Thakurta and other respondents in the case is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday.
Guha Thakurta has reported extensively on 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 retracted his article alleging tax evasion by the group in collusion with the government. He is currently facing seven defamation lawsuits filed by the Adani Group.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
