The Delhi High Court on Friday (March 20, 2026) directed the digital news and media critique platform Newslaundry to remove certain content denigrating TV Today and its channels Aaj Tak and India Today. In the material ordered to be taken down by the High Court, Newslaundry referred to certain TV Today content as “shit”.
The order was passed by a Division Bench of Justices C Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla on two cross appeals filed by Newslaundry and TV Today. The High Court agreed with the findings of the Single Judge and said that the statements made by the Newslaundry were disparaging and would harm TV Today’s reputation if not removed. “We are in agreement with the learned single judge’s finding that a prima facie case of commercial disparagement has been made out. The statements identified in the impugned order [of the single judge] are clearly without any independent standard and are biased and therefore constituted disparagement under the applicable legal principles,” the Division Bench observed.
“Such harm cannot be compensated by monetary relief or any other relief. Therefore, interim protection is warranted… Any refusal of interim protection at this stage will cause great prejudice to the plaintiff [TV Today],” the court added, partially allowing TV Today’s appeal. The High Court ordered the removal of the remarks “shit”, “shit show”, “high on weed or opium” and “your punctuation is as bad as your journalism” from Newslaundry’s social media platforms and website. “We partly allow the appeal to the limited extent that the statements or remarks identified by the learned single judge as constituting commercial disparagement be removed,” the High Court said.
Earlier this year, in January, the High Court came down heavily on Newslaundry journalist Manisha Pande for the derogatory language she used against the TV Today Network. Expressing shock at Newslaundry for persisting with Manisha Pande, the court said that she should be thrown out immediately and that she has no fundamentals of decency in reporting. The court described the expression as “gross” and plainly disparaging, signalling that the court was unwilling to treat the matter lightly.
In October 2021, TV Today had filed a suit against Newslaundry alleging that it published videos and articles in which “false, malicious and derogatory” statements were made about its channels, news anchors and management. It added that the content its reputation dmaaged its reputation. Newslaundry defended its content in the name of criticism and satire protected under free speech. On July 29, 2022, the Single-Judge Bench denied interim relief to TV Today but noted that a prima facie case was made out against Newslaundry. Both TV Today and Newslaundry appealed against the Single-Judge Bench order.
