The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice to NDTV and its CEO and editor-in-chief Rahul Kanwal after businessman Anil Ambani sued the media house for defamation over its reporting of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) case against his companies.
Ambani told the High Court that the Adani Group, the majority shareholder of NDTV, wants to take over his companies, and that the news channel has published 72-pointed articles against him in the last few months to facilitate its ultimate owners' "predatory strategies".
Ambani's counsel said that the investigating agencies have filed cases against Reliance, but every time a person is arrested, NDTV names Ambani.
Justice Subramonium Prasad then asked NDTV to respond to Ambani's plea for interim injunction against the publication of the allegedly defamatory news reports and listed the matter for further proceedings on July 18.
Ambani moved the Court taking exception to NDTV's coverage of the CBI and ED proceedings against Reliance.
He has sought over ₹2 crores in damages. The damages, Ambani said, will be donated to charity.
The defamation suit was filed through advocate Hasan Murtaza.
Apart from NDTV and Rahul Kanwal, Ambani has named IANS (the wire service also owned by the Adani Group), Manoranjan Bharti (NDTV Managing Editor), Tamanna Inamdar (NDTV Profit Managing Editor) and Ashish Manchanda (IANS Editor) as defendants in his suit.
Ambani has argued that NDTV is trying to cause panic in the markets, adversely influence public perception of Reliance Power and Reliance Infrastructure, and manipulate market sentiment to serve the Adani Group's vested interests.
"The Plaintiff states that the ultimate owners of Defendant Nos. 1 - 3 [NDTV, NDTV Convergence and IANS] have launched a deliberate, targeted, and relentless smear campaign against the Plaintiff, so as to derive unjust gains by injuring the Plaintiff's reputation, goodwill, and well-being, as well as the reputation and goodwill of the Reliance ADA Group," the suit states.
Advocate Shri Venkatesh appeared for Ambani today and argued that every time a person is arrested in cases against Reliance, NDTV names Ambani.
"There have been 72-pointed publications against me. Every time a person is arrested... I am distinct from the entity [Reliance], and the persons being arrested belong to that entity," he argued.
Venkatesh pointed to an NDTV report that stated that assets worth ₹1,400 crore were attached in a case against Anil Ambani.
"The case is against Reliance and the headline says Ambani," he argued.
He also referred to an NDTV Profit story which allegedly stated that Ambani was restrained from leaving the country.
"I had given an undertaking... This kind of mischaracterisation has to stop," he added.
Justice Prasad said that the matter involves Article 19 (freedom of speech) rights and, therefore, he will issue notice to the media house before considering the plea for interim injunction.
"Article 19(1)(a)... I have passed orders like that [injunction], but not on the first date. I have had at least 8 hearings," the judge said.
He then proceeded to issue notice to NDTV and its parent company, AMG Media Networks Limited and sought their responses.
The case will be heard next on July 19.
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Reliance infra promoter equity has been attached. Anil Ambani exercised control over Rpower thru RInfra. Sooner or later, the RInfra equity in RPower will need to be sold, as RInfra doesn’t have anything worthwhile apart from the stake in RPower and 2 Delhi Discoms. It would be ideal if these are sold to groups like Adani, Torrent, Vedanta or any other so that the true financials get visible.
Apart from these 3 assets, all that is left is arbitration awards, under dispute, or failed businesses; and 6-8000 crore of restructured loans to CLE (formerly Sonata Investments, a promoter group company).
But to make this assets saleable at fair value, the need is to ensure RPower and Delhi Discoms to be handed over to professional management with no scope of Anil Ambani exerting any influence. And by all means let Adani take them over, if they emerge as the highest bidder in a competitive bid.
If these companies remain under Anil Ambani, sooner or later they will also shut down, and default on more bank loans.