Kolkata, Oct. 26 -- The Calcutta High Court on Monday restrained the circulation of a video alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Adani Group had "stolen India", holding that the case warranted an exceptional pre-trial injunction as serious allegations were presented as facts without material showing that any authority had made
such findings.
Justice Aryak Dutt passed the ad-interim order on a defamation suit filed by Adani Enterprises Limited against YouTuber Sabeer Bhatia and others, including YouTube, X and Instagram.
The video, titled "How Modi and Adani Stole India The Friendship Files", was uploaded on October 9.
The company alleged that despite the original YouTube upload being disabled in India following a government complaint, the video continued to circulate through
re-uploads and reposts.
The court noted that the dramatised video made allegations linking the group to narcotics smuggling connected with terror funding and to police violence and false prosecution against a farmer.
It observed that these were assertions of fact, not opinions, and that the defendant's alleged reposting of the video after its removal prima facie indicated a lack of good faith.
The Calcutta High Court restrained publication and circulation of the video, its clips and materially identical reproductions until January 31, 2027, or further orders. The platforms were directed to disable access at identified URLs, preserve account and access records, disclose specified subscriber details in a sealed cover and
refrain from generating or sharing advertising revenue from the identified content.
The Calcutta High Court clarified that fair reporting and constructive criticism remained permissible. Its observations are preliminary.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.