"Delhi High Court Orders Immediate Removal of Defamatory Content Against LuLu Group Founder MA Yusuff Ali by Marunadan Malayalee News Portal"
In a significant development, the Delhi High Court has issued a strict order to Marunadan Malayalee, an online Malayalam news portal, and its editor, Shajan Skariah, to take down all content published on their website, YouTube channel, and other social media platforms that defame MA Yusuff Ali, the renowned founder of LuLu Group International. The court's decision came in response to a defamation case filed by Yusuff Ali, who alleged that Skariah has been engaged in a defamatory campaign against him since 2013.
Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, presiding over the case, unequivocally directed Skariah to refrain from making any comments or remarks about Yusuff Ali on any platform or social media channels, including YouTube, until the next hearing. Furthermore, the court warned that if Skariah fails to comply with the order, Google and YouTube must promptly remove the defamatory content and suspend the operation of the channel until the case's subsequent proceedings.
Yusuff Ali's legal counsel argued that Skariah's allegations were baseless and made with the sole intention of tarnishing the reputation and prestige of Yusuff Ali. The counsel further highlighted that despite injunction orders issued by a Kerala court, Skariah continued to publish false and inflammatory content against their client.
After thoroughly reviewing the evidence, including videos and articles, Justice Singh opined that Skariah's comments seemed to constitute an abuse of freedom of speech. The court observed that Skariah was gratuitously targeting Yusuff Ali and his business group.
While recognizing the importance of free speech and expression as fundamental aspects of a thriving democracy, the court emphasized that these rights do not grant absolute immunity to defame others. Defamation laws serve as reasonable restrictions on the freedom of speech, as outlined in the constitution, the court stressed.
Consequently, the court found a prima facie case justifying an injunction order against Skariah, thereby preventing him from making further defamatory allegations. Additionally, the court issued summons on the suit and scheduled the case for further deliberation on August 22.
MA Yusuff Ali was represented by a team of experienced lawyers, including Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Saurabh Kirpal, along with advocates Pravin Anand, Haris Beeran, Saif Khan, Achuthan Sreekumar, Mushtaq Salim, Ranjeeta Rohatgi, Nikhil Arora, Rohit Bansal, Azhar Assees, and Apoorva Prasad R. Click Here to: Download/View Related File
TAGS: Delhi High Court Marunadan Malayalee defamation content removal LuLu Group founder MA Yusuff Ali Shajan Skariah defamatory campaign injunction freedom of speech prima facie case summons August 22.
