Anil Ambani Files Defamation Suit In Bombay High Court Against Arnab Goswami, Republic TV

Industrialist Anil Ambani has moved the Bombay High Court with a defamation suit seeking an injunction against news channel Republic TV and its editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami claiming that the continuous coverage of the channel has "damaged" his reputation.

The suit filed by Ambani is likely to be heard by a single-judge Justice Milind Jadhav on April 1.

In his suit, Ambani has claimed that he is aggrieved by certain recent articles authored and published by the Defendants and circulated over the Defendants' news channels and social media platforms.

"These Offending Publications and Offending Statements claim to report on the regulatory proceedings initiated inter alia by the-Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to certain' corporate entities, namely Reliance Communications Limited (RCOM), Reliance Home Finance Limited, and/or Reliance Commercial Finance Limited," the suit reads.

Ambani has contended that the Defendant news channel and its anchor are well aware that he had ceased to be the Non-Executive Director of RCOM in November 2019 and was never a Director, Whole-time Director, Key Managerial Personnel, CEO, Manager or holder of any managerial or operational position in either of the companies under Reliance Group.

"The Companies were distinct entities, and the Applicant was not involved in the day-to-day management and decision-making operations of the Companies. Despite knowing these facts, the Defendants have chosen to maliciously, falsely and irresponsibly impute a libelous/slanderous/damaging personal connection between the allegations under investigation with respect to the Companies and the Applicant," the suit states.

Ambani stated that the Defendants have repeatedly, through their publications, falsely and recklessly portrayed him as being personally responsible for alleged financial misconduct, including by using sensationalised headlines, defamatory commentary and derogatory insinuations as "financial scam mastermind, cheat, money launderer, fraud, etc."

"These imputations have created a false perception of guilt and have exposed the Applicant to public hatred, ridicule, and contempt, which has caused grave and irreparable injury to the Applicant's reputation, dignity, professional standing and goodwill," the suit stated.

The present suit, Ambani contended, seeks to remedy the tangible and intangible losses, injury and harm suffered by him owing to the wrongful, unlawful and mala fide acts of the Defendants.

"The present suit seeks redressal in respect of the losses / 'injury caused to the Applicant owing inter alia to the ex-facie and per se unlawful / wrongful acts of the Defendants. The Defendants have acted unlawfully, maliciously, recklessly and/or negligently and caused serious loss and injury to the Applicant, both monetary and otherwise," the suit states.