Overview

• A Delhi district court transferred appeals by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Newslaundry against the ex-parte injunction to Judge Ashish Aggarwal, who last week set aside the order for four journalists.
• Thakurta’s appeal is scheduled to be heard on September 23, and Newslaundry’s appeal is also being placed before the same judge for consideration.
• The Delhi High Court adjourned to September 25 the pleas by Newslaundry and Ravish Kumar challenging the Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s September 16 communication seeking compliance with the trial court’s order.
• Newslaundry argues it was not a party to the defamation suit and calls the ministry’s directive administrative overreach that breaches separation of powers, while the government contends it merely communicated the court’s order.
• The underlying dispute stems from a September 6 ex-parte injunction directing widespread takedowns, including nearly 140 YouTube videos and over 80 Instagram posts, portions of which were quashed on September 18 for denying a hearing and having a sweeping effect.