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Journalist Ravi Nair today withdrew his SLP against the order of the Gujarat High Court refusing to quash the Forgery FIR against him by Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd. over a Washington Post article alleging that the LIC made investments in the Adani Group on the instructions of the Central Government.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal submitted before the bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta that Nair would raise all the contentions once charge sheet is filed. "I have advised my client that as and when charge sheet is filed, we will raise all these points. It is better", he said.

Accepting his submission, the Court allowed Nair to withdraw his plea. "Learned Senior Counsel on instructions says that this petition may be dismissed as withdrawn, leaving it open for the petitioner to raise his grievances at the appropriate stage before the appropriate forum", the Court recorded in the order.

Nair had published an article in the Washington Post on October 24, 2025, claiming that LIC invested USD 3.9 billion in the Adani Group under government influence. He had relied on documents purportedly issued by the LIC or the Department of Financial Services.

After the article was published, LIC made a declaration in its social media account that the documents mentioned in the article were not issued or receive by it. It also stated that the investment was not made under any external influence. A similar communication was also made by the Department of Financial Services saying that no such documents were ever prepared by it.

Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd. lodged a private complaint alleging defamation. Thereafter, the present FIR was registered alleging commission of offences punishable under Sections 318(4) [Cheating], 336(2), 336(4) [Forgery], 340(2) [Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine] of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Ravi had earlier approached the Supreme Court but subsequently withdrew the case with liberty to approach the High Court.

Ravi contended before the High Court that the present FIR was an abuse of process of law when the defamation complaint on same set of facts is pending. Since no inquiry was ordered in the complaint, the present FIR was registered to harass him. He added that merely because LIC denied the article and the documents, the same would not become forged. He thus sought to quash the FIR.

The prosecution contended that the forgery aspect needs to be probed. It was added that Ravi was not cooperating with the investigation.

Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd. contended that Ravi concealed the fact that he had earlier approached the Apex Court and therefore, a false statement was made by him. He also argued that since FIR could not be lodged for defamation, private complaint was made. Moreover, the said complaint would not preclude him from lodging an FIR for other offences.

The High Court observed that mere pendency of a private complaint on the same set of facts alleging defamation would not make the present FIR an abuse of process of law. The Court further noted that the existence of the documents relied on by Nair in his article were disputed by LIC as well the Central Ministry of Finance. It added that the existence of such documents is doubtful and they prima facie appear to be forged. It is for the investigating agency to find out the truth as regards those documents.

Opining that investigation is necessary to find out about the truth of the documents relied on, the High Court refused to quash the FIR.

Case: SLP(Crl) No. 16444/2026 Diary No. 51490 / 2026 RAVI NAIR Vs STATE OF GUJARAT

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