Delhi HC Halts ₹40 Lakh Defamation Payout Order Against HT, Neelesh Misra

The Delhi High Court has put on hold a trial court order directing Hindustan Times and its former journalist Neelesh Misra to pay ₹40 lakh as damages to a businessman in a defamation case.

Justice Mini Pushkarna, while hearing a petition filed by Hindustan Times and Misra, passed the interim order on Thursday. The petition challenged the verdict delivered by the District Judge, South-East, Saket Courts, on 6 June 2025.

The High Court has also issued a notice to businessman Arun Kumar Gupta and fixed 19 December for the next hearing.

The dispute relates to a 2007 article titled “Get Smart, Email with Care” written by Misra and published in Hindustan Times. The piece was aimed at warning the public about the misuse of electronic communication such as emails. However, it included a reference about a former employee of the company Integrix, alleging that he was removed due to “financial irregularities.”

Gupta, who had joined Integrix as a Director in 2000 and resigned in 2005 to start his own business, claimed that the article’s content was defamatory towards him. He argued that even though his name was not directly mentioned, people familiar with the background could link the report to him, harming his reputation.

The trial court had held both Hindustan Times and Misra liable, stating they failed to prove the source of the information or submit any evidence that Gupta was dismissed over financial misconduct. It directed them to pay ₹40 lakh in damages—three-fourths by Hindustan Times and the rest by Misra—and to publish an apology within 60 days.

Challenging this, the petitioners argued that the report was based on reliable sources and documents, including court filings by Integrix against Gupta.

The High Court’s stay means the trial court’s order will not be implemented until further hearing in December.