Delhi HC orders takedown of defamatory content against Himayani Puri; grants interim injunction

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the removal of allegedly defamatory content targeting Himayani Puri, daughter of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, holding that a prima facie case is made out and that continued circulation would cause irreparable harm.

Hearing the defamation suit, Justice Mini Pushkarna ordered Defendants No. 1-14 and 21, along with their agents and associates, to take down the specific URLs and content identified in Annexure A within 24 hours. The Court further directed that in the event of non-compliance, social media intermediaries (Defendants No. 15-18) shall block access to the impugned posts, videos, and links.

The court also permitted the plaintiff to notify intermediaries of any additional URLs hosting identical content, directing that such information be acted upon without delay. Clarifying the territorial scope, the court held that the injunction will operate within India for content uploaded from IP addresses located in India. In respect of content uploaded from outside India, the defendants have been directed to ensure that access is blocked within India.

While dictating the order, the court restrained the defendants from publishing or circulating the impugned material on any platform. The court observed that the balance of convenience lies in favour of the plaintiff and that failure to grant interim protection would result in irreparable injury to her reputation.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for the plaintiff, submitted that she has been subjected to a “scurrilous” and coordinated online campaign imputing professional misconduct and moral turpitude. They argued that much of the content originated from within India, justifying strong interim relief.

#WATCH | Delhi | Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for Himayani Puri, says, ” There is a take-down order. All the defendants and URLs that have defamatory content need to be taken down in 24 hours… It is a vindication of somebody conducting a campaign against… pic.twitter.com/E1Y33dbNyG

— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2026

Senior Advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for Meta, opposed any direction for global takedown, submitting that intermediaries can act only pursuant to court orders or statutory notifications. He further pointed out that the issue of global blocking is presently under consideration before a Division Bench of the High Court.

Counsel for certain journalists contended that statements not attributable to them were being wrongly imputed and cautioned that any sweeping restraint would have a chilling effect on journalistic freedom. The Court, however, observed that verification of such allegations falls within the remit of investigating agencies, not journalists.

Himayani Puri has instituted the suit seeking damages of Rs 10 crore, along with permanent and mandatory injunctions and an unconditional apology, alleging that a coordinated online campaign falsely linked her to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

According to the plaint, since February 2026, a series of posts, videos, articles and social media content have attempted to associate her with Epstein and his activities, including claims that a firm she was previously associated with received financial benefits from him.

She has described the allegations as entirely false, malicious, and devoid of factual basis, asserting that the campaign has caused significant harm to her professional reputation and personal standing. The suit further states that despite a cease-and-desist notice dated March 6, 2026, the defendants failed to remove the content, necessitating legal action before the High Court. (ANI)