A Delhi Court on Thursday (September 25) said that journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta is not bound by the ex-parte gag order passed by a lower court restraining him from reporting on Adani Enterprises till fresh orders are passed by the Senior Civil Judge.
District Judge Sunil Chaudhary of Rohini Courts said that Thakurta is “not liable to follow ex parte gag order restraining him from reporting on Adani Group”, till fresh orders are passed by senior civil judge who will hear him tomorrow.
The judge has said that where the Trial Court has been directed to pass a fresh order on the appeal of other journalists in Adani Enterprises’ suit, then Guha may also be asked to join the said hearing tomorrow before the senior civil judge.
“The Court of Ld. Senior Civil Judge, North-West is directed to hear the appellant Paranjoy Guha Thakurta also along with other defendants on 26.09.2025 at 02:00 pm when the matter is to be taken up by it as per orders of Ld. District Judge-03, North-West,” the court said.
The judge said that the senior civil judge while passing fresh orders on the application under Order 39 Rule 1 and 2 CPC, will consider the principles of law settled with respect to grant of interim injunction.
“The appeal is disposed off accordingly and the appellant will not be liable to follow the order dated 06.09.2025 till fresh orders are passed by the Court of Ld. Senior Civil Judge upon hearing him,” the court said.
Earlier, judge Chaudhary had recused from passing orders even after hearing Paranjoy’s appeal in great detail, in light of an order of District Judge Ashish Aggarwal quashing the ex-parte gag order qua four journalists. Judge Chaudhary had directed that the appeals be placed before the Principal judge, for re-assignment to Judge Aggarwal’s court.
Later, Principal District and Sessions Judge refused to transfer the appeal, following which the matter was again listed before judge Chaudhary.
Senior Advocate Jagdeep Sharma appearing for Adani Enterprises had argued that judge Aggarwal had not said anything on merits and thus, that order was not binding. “The other court cant impose its views on your lordships,” he had submitted.
For context, judge Aggarwal had observed that the allegedly defamatory articles had been in public domain for long and hence, the civil judge ought to have heard the journalists before directing take down of their articles.
Sharma had submitted that the journalist may appear before the senior civil judge who passed the ex-parte order and avail the statutory remedies there. He had undertook that meanwhile, no coercive steps will be taken against Appellants until Friday, when the main suit is listed before the civil judge.
Advocate Apar Gupta appearing for Guha however had claimed that coercive steps have already been taken based on the impugned ex-parte order. “If the ex parte order is stayed today, I’ll be able to get the articles restored,” he had said.