YS Jagan Reddy names media outlets in Rs 100 cr defamation suit, Delhi HC issues summons

The suit pertains to articles that allegedly linked Reddy to the indictment proceedings against the Adani Group in the United States. Reddy has sought damages of Rs 100 crore and requested an injunction in the defamation case.

Several media outlets and Google have also been included and have been named as parties in the defamation suit as it is accused of facilitating the spread and amplification of defamatory and scandalous content against the YSRCP Chief.

The bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad, after noting the submissions made by Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan, who appeared for Reddy, issued a notice on Reddy's application seeking the removal of the defamatory articles.

While issuing the notice, the Court also clarified that any further publication made after the date of the order would be deemed as published with notice of the suit and would be subject to the consequences.

Reddy has additionally requested an injunction, seeking orders to prevent the media houses from further publishing the content. He has also asked for the immediate removal of the articles, tweets, and retweets, along with a demand for an unconditional apology to be issued.

The case is scheduled for the next hearing on December 16, where the court will consider granting interim relief.

Jagan Mohan Reddy's suit stated that the defendants on account of false, derogatory, scandalous, illegal and defamatory statements made by the media outlets against the Plaintiff.

As per the suit, the plaintiff, i.e., YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is a distinguished politician and public servant, having a wide following within the State of Andhra Pradesh, NCT of Delhi and in other parts of the country. He has served previously as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 2019 to 2024, is currently a member of the Legislative Assembly in the State of Andhra Pradesh, and is also the president of the YSR Congress Party.

Media outlets are the newspaper publishers having substantial viewership that are deliberately publishing/disseminating content containing per se false, scandalous and defamatory statements against the Plaintiff with a view to malign his reputation, as per the suit.

"The defamatory insinuations made by the Defendants against the Plaintiff inter alia of receiving bribes, extending favours or misusing his position as the chief minister are completely false and have been made with the sole intent of lowering his reputation. The said insinuations are not only false, malicious, illegal, dishonest and defamatory but are also completely imaginary and based on conjectures, having not even an iota of truth," stated suit. (ANI)