Mumbai, September 17: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed several journalists, media outlets, and creators to delete "defamatory" content against the Adani Group, following a Delhi court order. The takedown notice affects prominent names like Ravish Kumar, Dhruv Rathee, Newslaundry, The Wire, HW News, and Aakash Banerjee’s The Deshbhakt. It covers 138 YouTube videos and 83 Instagram posts, including investigative reports, satire, and incidental mentions. The directive also involves intermediaries such as Google and Meta to ensure compliance under IT rules.

According to a report by The News Minute, the MIB notice, dated September 16, 2025, was issued following a September 6 ex parte interim injunction by Senior Civil Judge Anuj Kumar Singh of the Rohini Courts. The court had directed the removal of content it deemed defamatory against Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), citing potential harm to the company’s reputation, investor confidence, and brand value. The order emphasised that fair and verified reporting remains protected, but unverified claims could have serious financial and reputational consequences. Gujarat Court Issues Notice to Abhisar Sharma, Raju Parulekar on Adani Group’s Defamation Complaint.

Media Outlets, Journalists Ordered To Delete 138 YouTube Videos and 83 Instagram Posts

The Telegraph Online reported that the takedown directive specifically listed 138 YouTube videos and 83 Instagram posts across multiple platforms. Newslaundry was asked to remove 42 videos, while other content from The Wire, HW News, Ravish Kumar, Dhruv Rathee, and Aakash Banerjee’s The Deshbhakt was also flagged. Additionally, videos by journalist Atul Chaurasia, including discussions on Adani’s US-related cases, and interviews conducted by Sreenivasan Jain with NCP leaders Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar were included. Episodes of Newslaundry podcasts such as NL Hafta, NL Charcha, and NL Tippani, along with segments from TV Newsance, were also affected. Adani Group Denies Bloomberg Report on Tie-Up With China’s BYD and Beijing Welion New Energy, Calls It ‘Baseless and Misleading’.

As reported by The News Minute, several journalists have criticised the ministry’s involvement. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta stated he would challenge the order, asserting his reporting is factual, verified, and in the public interest, while senior advocate Indira Jaising questioned the government’s role in enforcing a civil court order that intermediaries are already obligated to follow. Ravish Kumar also mocked the takedown directive on social media, calling attention to concerns over freedom of expression. The appeal against the court order is scheduled to be heard soon, keeping the matter under active judicial review.

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TruLY Score 3 – Believable; Needs Further Research | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 3 on LatestLY, this article appears believable but may need additional verification. It is based on reporting from news websites or verified journalists (The News Minute and The Telegraph Online), but lacks supporting official confirmation. Readers are advised to treat the information as credible but continue to follow up for updates or confirmations

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2025 11:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).