Delhi High Court: In a suit filed by Oravel Stays Limited doing business as OYO Rooms (plaintiff) is seeking damages and permanent and mandatory injunction with respect to the defamatory articles written and published by Nine Network Private Limited (defendants), Mini Pushkarna, J., granted an ad-interim injunction in favour of the plaintiff and restrained defendants including their servants, agents, representatives, employees and other constituents from making, publishing and disseminating or publishing any false, defamatory, disparaging and misleading statements or articles pertaining to the plaintiff.
The plaintiff is a well-known and reputed brand in the global hospitality space and the Indian startup ecosystem. It came to the plaintiff’s attention that defendants in reckless disregard for the plaintiff’s reputation and goodwill, have consistently published articles on their website which has mass viewership having libelous, scandalous, and defamatory comments against the plaintiff. The said articles that have been published contain false, unsubstantiated, and disparaging claims against the plaintiff.
Thus, the Court on perusal of articles pertaining to money laundering, proceedings pending in Karnataka, FIR (First Information Report) lodged in Chandigarh, insolvency proceedings against the plaintiff company and tax evasion etc. noted that the plaintiff has been able to make a prima facie case in its favour for grant of ad-interim injunction as the balance of convenience is in favour of the plaintiff and irreparable harm and injury would be caused to the plaintiff if an interim injunction is not granted.
The Court restrained defendants including their servants, agents, representatives, employees, and other constituents from making, publishing, and disseminating or publishing any false, defamatory, disparaging, and misleading statements or articles pertaining to the plaintiff.
The Court further directed the defendants to immediately take down all the defamatory articles made and published and disseminated on their website i.e., inventiva.co.in
[Oravel Stays Limited v. Nine Network Private Limited, 2022 SCC OnLine Del 3597, decided on 14-10-2022]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
Mr. Jayant K. Mehta, Senior Advocate with Mr. Raghav Sabharwal and Mr. Raghav Bhatia, Advocates for the Plaintiff;
*Arunima Bose, Editorial Assistant has reported this brief.