Set back to Anil Ambani: HC refuses to order restrain on media
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New Delhi: Setting a setback to industrialist Anil Ambani, the Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to grant any interim injunction in the defamation suit he filed against NDTV and other media entities seeking a blanket restraint on publication and removal of news reports relating to ongoing investigations involving Reliance group companies, IANS reported.
While refusing to pass any ad-interim relief restraining publication of the reports at this stage, a single-judge Bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad sought responses from NDTV and other defendants on Ambani’s plea and listed the matter for further hearing in July.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for Anil Ambani contended that continuous reporting by NDTV was directly attributing developments in the ongoing investigations to him personally, though the matters pertained to Reliance group companies in which, according to the suit, he held no executive role.
It was argued that such reporting created a misleading association and warranted immediate injunctive protection. However, the Delhi High Court orally observed that there was a distinction between “news” and “views” and remarked that the plaintiff would have to demonstrate that the reporting was so incorrect that it required an injunction.
Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao, appearing for NDTV, opposed the plea and argued that the suit raised serious issues concerning prior restraint on media reporting and the Constitutional protection of free speech under Article 19(1)(a). It was further submitted that the impugned publications were based on official and publicly available records, including releases issued by investigating agencies in relation to ongoing investigations and judicial proceedings.
After hearing the submissions, Justice Prasad observed that orders restraining publication in such matters were not ordinarily passed on the very first date of hearing, particularly when issues involving free speech and media reporting arose for consideration.