Delhi High Court has summoned media organisation “The Tribune” in a case filed by a US based businessman Gaurav Srivastava against a defamatory and paid advertorial published against him.
Justice Pratibha M Singh has directed The Tribune to furnish receipts regarding the source of the payments for the defamatory article published in the online edition of the media firm.
“Considering the fact that The Tribune itself claims that the publication was a sponsored content programme, the details of the said sponsor may be disclosed to the Plaintiff by 10th June, 2024,” the order dated May 30, 2024 said.
According to the petition, the paid content alleged Srivastava of wrong doings or “scam” or even calling him as “Conman” without even verifying the same from him or any genuine sources/agencies having knowledge of the subject matter.
“The entire false publications have accused the Plaintiff even when there is no shred of evidence and iota of truth in such acquisitions which are part of a paid campaign to tarnish and harm the reputation of the Plaintiff,” the petition said.
Based out of Los Angeles, Srivastava and his wife also run a philanthropic organisation in their name.
The Tribune advertorial, which was published in the online edition of the newspaper, was in turn, widely quoted and reproduced in multiple other media platforms.
Mr. Srivastava has also made YouTube, Google, Yahoo, Meta(Facebook) and Twitter(X) parties to the case, and asked for action for them to take down the defamatory articles.
While discussing the case, Justice Singh also wanted to know if the Press Council of India had put in place any guidelines to regulate such content. She also contended whether such allegedly defamatory and libellous content can be passed off only as an advertorial with the mention of a disclaim.
The matter is listed for hearing on June 12, 2024 at Delhi High Court.