Delhi HC Issues Notice on Anil Ambani’s ₹2 Crore Defamation Suit Against NDTV Over CBI-ED Coverage

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has issued notice to New Delhi Television Limited and others on a defamation suit filed by businessman Anil Ambani over NDTV’s reporting on cases registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate against his companies. The Court declined to pass an interim injunction order on the first date of hearing and listed the matter for detailed consideration in July.

Justice Subramonium Prasad, while issuing notice on 07.05.2026, observed that the matter involves rights under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution and stated that he would not pass an injunction order on the very first date without hearing the matter in detail.

Ambani filed the defamation suit through Advocate Hasan Murtaza, seeking damages exceeding ₹2 crore, which he stated would be donated to charity. The defendants named in the suit are New Delhi Television Limited, NDTV Convergence Limited, IANS Private Limited, Rahul Kanwal, Manoranjan Bharti, Tamanna Inamdar, Nazim Khan, Ashish Manchanda, AMG Media Network Limited, Vishvapradhan Commercial Private Limited, and RRPR Holdings.

Ambani alleged that the Adani Group, which holds a majority stake in NDTV, intends to take over his companies and that NDTV has published 72 pointed articles against him over the last several months to facilitate what he characterised as the ultimate owners’ predatory strategies. The suit states that the ultimate owners of NDTV, NDTV Convergence, and IANS have launched a deliberate, targeted, and relentless campaign against the plaintiff to derive unjust gains by injuring his reputation, goodwill, and well-being, as well as the reputation and goodwill of the Reliance ADA Group.

Ambani further alleged that NDTV is attempting to create panic in the markets, adversely influence public perception of Reliance Power and Reliance Infrastructure, and manipulate market sentiment to serve the Adani Group’s vested interests.

Advocate Shri Venkatesh, appearing for Ambani, submitted that every time a person is arrested in cases involving Reliance entities, NDTV mentions Ambani in its reporting despite Ambani being distinct from the entities against whom the cases are registered and the persons arrested belonging to those entities. He referred to an NDTV report stating that assets worth ₹1,400 crore were attached in a case against Ambani, submitting that the case was against Reliance and not against Ambani personally.

He also referred to an NDTV Profit story which allegedly stated that Ambani was restrained from leaving the country, submitting that Ambani had, in fact, given a voluntary undertaking before the Supreme Court and that portraying such an undertaking as a court-imposed injunction amounted to mischaracterisation.

At the outset, the Court remarked that there is a difference between “news” and “views” and observed that Ambani would need to demonstrate that the reporting was so incorrect as to warrant an injunction. The Court further observed that it has passed injunction orders in such matters in the past, but only after multiple hearings and not on the very first date. Accordingly, the Court issued notice to NDTV and its parent company, AMG Media Networks Limited, and sought their responses before proceeding further on the interim injunction application.

Case Details:

• Case Title: Anil D. Ambani v. New Delhi Television Limited and Others
• Court: Delhi High Court
• Judge: Justice Subramonium Prasad
• Date of Hearing: 07.05.2026

Appearances:

• For the Plaintiff: Advocate Shri Venkatesh; Advocate Hasan Murtaza (filing counsel)