'Shit Show', 'High On Weed Or Opium' Remarks Disparaging: Delhi High Court Orders Newslaundry To Remove Content Against TV Today

The Delhi High Court on Friday directed digital platform Newslaundry to remove and take down its statements containing disparaging content against TV Today, which owns news channels India Today and Aaj Tak.A division bench comprising Justice C Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla said that Newslaundry's remarks calling TV Today's content as “shit show” and “high on weed or opium” constituted disparagement.The Court said it was in agreement with the single judge's findings that a prima facie case of disparagement was made out by TV Today. It added that if the disparaging statements are not removed and continue to remain, it will cause serious and irreparable harm to TV Today. Observing that the case warranted an interim protection, the Court said:“We partly allow the appeal to the limited extent that the statements or remarks identified by the learned single judge as constituting commercial disparagement be removed.”“The statements are ex facie disparaging and there continued availability online would harm the plaintiff's reputation. The respondents are directed to immediately remove the remark or statement “shit reporters”, “shit show”, “weed or opium”, and remove them from their respective social media accouns and handles till final disposal of the suit,” the Court said. The Court decided cross appeals filed by Newslaundry and TV Today challenging a single judge order which had dismissed the news channel's plea seeking interim injunction. However, even though it refused interim injunction, the single judge had said that the a "prima facie case" was made out in favour of TV Today and that the statements made by Newslaundry called for justification.A total of 75 videos posted by Newslaundry were impugned by TV Today. In the appeals, Advocate Hrishikesh Baruah appeared for TV Today whereas Newslaundry was represented by Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao and Advocate Bani Dixit.The dispute arose in 2022 when TV Today Network filed a suit before the single judge against Newslaundry, its CEO Abhinandan Sekhri and other individuals seeking damages of Rs. 2 crores for copyright infringement and defamation of its anchors, management and employees.The suit alleged that Newslaundry had uploaded various videos on its website including social media platforms, infringing TV Today Network's copyright. It was also alleged that the online news portal also made "unfair, untrue and disparaging defamatory remarks" about its anchors as well as the management.Read Also: “Being Over Sensitive”: Delhi High Court Tells TV Today, Says Newslaundry's Criticism Not Necessarily DisparagementTitle: Newslaundry v. TV Today Network Pvt Ltd & Other Connected MatterCitation: 2026 LiveLaw (Del) 278

'Shit Show', 'High On Weed Or Opium' Remarks Disparaging: Delhi High Court Orders Newslaundry To Remove Content Against TV Today

Nupur Thapliyal

Tags