The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has directed the removal of 138 YouTube videos and 83 Instagram posts related to the Adani Group, following a recent court order in a defamation case filed by Adani Enterprises.
The action comes after an ex parte order dated September 6 by a North West Delhi district court, which instructed several journalists and activists including Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Ravi Nair, Abir Dasgupta, Ayaskant Das, and Ayush Joshi to delete content deemed defamatory towards the Adani conglomerate.
I&B Notice Extends to Media Houses and Influencers
While the court’s directive applied to specific individuals, the I&B ministry’s September 16 notice widened its scope, asking media platforms, digital creators, and independent journalists to comply. Among those affected are:
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YouTube Channels: Newslaundry, Abhisar Sharma, Dhruv Rathee, Ravish Kumar Official, The Deshbhakt (Akash Banerjee), Deepak Sharma, Pragya Ka Panna, Ajit Anjum, New Delhi Post, HW News English, Paranjoy Online.
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Instagram Accounts: Paranjoygt and The Wire (@thewirein).
Interestingly, some flagged posts were not fresh reports or opinion pieces. For instance, one Newslaundry video listed for takedown was merely a subscription appeal that showed a screenshot of an article on the Adani Group.
The ministry’s notice stated:
“The honourable court vide aforementioned order has directed to remove all defamatory materials from their respective articles/social media posts within 5 days of the said order. The publications had failed to take action in the timeframe stipulated by the court order. Accordingly, you are directed to take appropriate action for compliance… within 36 hours.”
Tech Giants Also Notified
Copies of the directive were also sent to Meta Platforms Inc. (Instagram, Facebook) and Google Inc. (YouTube), urging them to ensure compliance.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
