Court restrains defendants from publishing, broadcasting, or circulating false allegations linking newspaper to political control; orders removal of offending digital content
In a significant ruling dated September 3, 2026, the Delhi High Court, presided over by Mr. Justice Sachin Datta, granted an interim injunction in favor of CMYK Printech Limited, the owner and publisher of the newspaper `The Pioneer'. The suit was filed against Kalvakuntla Kavitha and other defendants for allegedly publishing and circulating defamatory and malicious statements concerning the plaintiff's newspaper.
The plaintiff contended that the defendant no.1 had published false allegations during a YouTube livestream on July 9, 2026, claiming that 'The Pioneer' newspaper was purchased for Rs. 188 Crores by a political personality and was under the control of a political party. These statements, according to the plaintiff, were entirely baseless and had caused irreparable damage to the newspaper's reputation, goodwill, and business operations. Moreover, these defamatory statements were republished and amplified by other defendants across multiple digital and social media platforms, exacerbating the harm.
The Court recognized the territorial jurisdiction of the Delhi High Court to entertain the suit as CMYK Printech Limited's registered and corporate offices are located in Delhi, and the injurious effects of the defamatory statements were felt substantially within the city. The judgment relied on the precedent set by the Coordinate Bench in the case of Sameer Dnyandev Wankhede v. Red Chillies Entertainments Pvt. Ltd., 2026 SCC Online Del 333, which clarified jurisdictional principles applicable to online defamation cases under Section 19 of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908.
After examining the submissions, the Court passed an ad interim order restraining the defendant no.1 from publishing, republishing, broadcasting, circulating, or disseminating the defamatory statements or any similar imputations against CMYK Printech Limited and its newspaper `The Pioneer' on any platform. Additionally, defendants numbered 2 to 15 were also restrained from making similar defamatory statements. The Court further directed these defendants to remove the offending posts from their websites, social media accounts, and digital platforms within one week.
The Court also laid down procedural directions requiring summons to be issued to the defendants, the filing of written statements, and affidavits of admission or denial of documents, warning that failure to comply could lead to an order of costs. The case is scheduled for further proceedings before the Joint Registrar (Judicial) on October 15, 2026, and the next hearing in Court on February 4, 2027.
This ruling underscores the judiciary's proactive approach in addressing defamatory content proliferated over digital platforms and highlights the legal remedies available to entities suffering reputational harm due to false and malicious statements.
Bottom Line:
Defamation and malicious statements - Interim injunction granted to restrain the defendants from publishing, broadcasting, or circulating defamatory statements against the plaintiff's newspaper 'The Pioneer'.
Statutory provision(s):
Civil Procedure Code, 1908 Section 19, Order XXXIX Rule 3
CMYK Printech Limited v. Kalvakuntla Kavitha, (Delhi) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2972575
