A Delhi court has stepped in to restrain the continued online circulation of material linking businessman Manoj Kesari Chand Sandesara and his family to the alleged Sterling Biotech bank fraud, directing tech platforms and unidentified publishers to remove such references.
Passing an ex parte interim injunction, the Court instructed Google, Meta and unnamed defendants to de-index, de-list and de-reference URLs flagged by Sandesara. The order mandated compliance within 36 hours, requiring the platforms to remove the specified links from search results and prevent further circulation of similar content connected to the dispute.
The directions came after Sandesara initiated a defamation suit, asserting that several news reports and videos portrayed him and his relatives as fugitives and participants in financial wrongdoing. He maintained that these portrayals persisted online even after developments before the Supreme Court, which, according to his plea, accepted a settlement exceeding ₹5,100 crore with lender banks and ordered the quashing of criminal proceedings and related investigations against the promoters.
Invoking the “right to be forgotten,” Sandesara argued that continued online availability of such material infringed his privacy and dignity while harming his business and personal reputation.
After reviewing the submissions, the Court found merit in the contention that continued publication or republication of content linking Sandesara and his family to the alleged fraud would cause reputational damage and stigma. It also observed that press freedom is not absolute and must operate within permissible limits, especially where headlines and framing suggest criminality despite the closure of proceedings.
The Court emphasised that the enduring accessibility of such content on digital platforms could inflict harm that monetary compensation may not adequately remedy. It further noted that the media bears a responsibility to ensure accuracy, fairness and restraint, cautioning against sensationalism.
On these considerations, the Court granted the injunction and directed immediate compliance.
