Gujarat Court Issues Notices To 2 Journalists On Adani Group's Defamation Complaint
A magistrate's court in Gandhinagar has issued notices to journalists Abhisar Sharma and Raju Parulekar for personal appearance on September 20, after criminal defamation complaints were filed against them by Adani Group.
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Adani Group has rejected the allegations as "baseless and misleading."
Ahmedabad:
A magistrate's court in Gandhinagar has summoned journalists Abhisar Sharma and Raju Parulekar to appear on September 20, following criminal defamation complaints filed by Adani Group.
The corporate conglomerate has accused Mr Sharma, who runs a YouTube channel, and Mr Parulekar, a blogger, of disseminating false and defamatory content intended to damage its reputation.
According to Adani Group's attorney Sanjay Thakkar, the Judicial Magistrate First Class in Gandhinagar (Adalaj police station) issued notices requiring both individuals to appear on the specified date.
The notices were issued under section 223 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which requires that "no cognisance of an offence shall be taken by the magistrate without giving the accused an opportunity of being heard".
"After receiving the notice, both individuals must appear either personally or through legal representation before the court on September 20 to present their case. Sharma published defamatory content on his YouTube channel, while Parulekar made defamatory statements on platform X," explained Mr Thakkar.
The Group has invoked sections 356 (1, 2, and 3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which correspond to sections 499, 500, and 501 of the former Indian Penal Code.
"The complaints reference a YouTube video uploaded by Mr Sharma on August 18, 2025, alleging that Adani received thousands of bighas of land in Assam and suggesting patterns of political favoritism, as well as numerous tweets and retweets by Mr Parulekar since January 2025 making similar allegations about land appropriation, scams, and unwarranted benefits," he stated.
Adani Group has categorically denied these "baseless and misleading" claims, highlighting that the Gauhati High Court order dated August 12, 2025, which the respondents cited, made no mention of the business group.
"The company also clarified that Mahabal Cement Pvt Ltd, the entity central to the High Court case, has no association whatsoever with Adani," said Mr Thakkar.
Evidence submitted to the court includes Mr Sharma's video and transcript, Mr Parulekar's social media posts, the Gauhati High Court order, and additional supporting documentation.
If the court admits the cases, they may proceed to trial, where both journalists could face up to two years imprisonment, financial penalties, or both, according to Mr Thakkar.
(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)