Delhi High Court passes interim order restraining online community, TRACTOR2TWITTER from making defamatory post against AajTak [READ ORDER]

The Delhi High Court, in the interim order passed by a single judge bench comprising Justice Rekha Palli restrained TRACTOR2TWITTER from making defamatory posts against news channel AajTak on its social media accounts.

TRACTOR2TWITTER is an online community of persons that posts updates and the ongoing status of the Farmers Protests. AajTak had moved the Delhi High Court against the online community for the defamatory campaign that community has been running against the news channels and its employees across various platforms.

The news channel submitted that online community had also asked its subscribers and followers to use a derogatory hashtag to malign AajTak’s name and re-tweet messages to spread the message.

Taking into account the ‘damaging nature’ of the tweets, the Court observed that there is prima facie case made out in favour of the plaintiff. The Court observed that,” "Having perused the various tweets which have been published by Defendant Nos.1 to 3 as well as the posts of Defendant No. 1 on its Facebook page, Instagram account and official Telegram channel, I am of the prima facie opinion that they contain wild allegations, are defamatory and use objectionable and abusive language against the plaintiff, its AajTak new channel and its employees. Such a campaign against the Plaintiff, its 'AajTak' news channel and its employees can be extremely damaging to their reputation and also cause personal injury to them.”
 

Additionally, the court directed Twitter, Facebook and Telegram to remove the defamatory posts, articles and all contents and block the weblinks after the plaintiff’s Advocate Baruah submitted before the Court that defendants had released seven posters on its Telegram Channel making vile comments about the news channel.

[READ ORDER]