Rohini Court Reserves Verdict in Paranjoy Guha Thakurta’s Appeal Against Adani Gag Order
A Delhi court has reserved its order on journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta’s plea challenging a gag order that restrained him from publishing stories critical of Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL).
District Judge Sunil Chaudhary of Rohini Court reserved the verdict after hearing extensive arguments from both sides.
Senior Advocate Trideep Pais, appearing for Thakurta, argued that the gag order was vague and overbroad since it did not specify which content was defamatory. He added that many articles did not even mention Adani Enterprises directly but only referred to Gautam Adani or the Adani Group. He also questioned how the Central government could direct intermediaries to remove content when it was not a party to the proceedings.
On the other side, Advocates Vijay Aggarwal and Anurag Ahluwalia, appearing for AEL, argued that the articles tarnished the company’s image, alleging scams and undue benefits from government policies. They said repeated publications were damaging Adani’s reputation and affecting investor confidence.
The court, however, questioned how such articles specifically harmed Adani’s shares and asked counsel to point out the exact lines that were defamatory. At one point, Judge Chaudhary remarked, “People will keep saying things; that alone cannot be defamation.”
The dispute stems from a September 6 order by Senior Civil Judge Anuj Kumar Singh, who had directed the removal of allegedly defamatory content against AEL and restrained journalists from publishing unverified reports. Thakurta and other journalists later challenged this order, calling it an unjust restriction on press freedom.
Adani Enterprises has alleged that certain journalists and activists have deliberately targeted its infrastructure and energy projects, damaging its reputation and aligning with “anti-India interests.”
The court has now reserved its decision on Thakurta’s appeal.
