The Delhi High Court has rejected Anil Ambani’s request for immediate legal action in a defamation case against NDTV and other media outlets. Ambani sought to stop the publication of news reports related to ongoing investigations involving Reliance group companies. The court, however, declined to grant any temporary injunction at this stage, asking for responses from the defendants and scheduling a further hearing in July.
During the court proceedings, Ambani’s counsel argued that NDTV’s continuous coverage linked ongoing investigations to Ambani personally, despite his lack of executive involvement in the Reliance group companies under scrutiny. The court noted the distinction between news and opinions, suggesting that Ambani needed to prove the reporting was significantly inaccurate to warrant an injunction. Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao, representing NDTV, defended the media’s right to report based on official records and stressed the importance of free speech protection under the Constitution.
Justice Prasad emphasized that decisions to restrict publication were not typically made at the initial hearing, especially when issues of free speech and media freedom were at stake. Ultimately, the court did not provide interim protection to Ambani and instead issued a notice on the injunction application. The case revolves around media coverage of investigations into financial irregularities and alleged loan fraud involving Reliance Communications and its affiliates.
