NEW DELHI — The Press Club of India (PCI) on Thursday expressed deep concern over an ex-parte order by the Rohini District Court in the Adani Enterprises Ltd. vs. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta & Ors case, labeling it a disturbing instance of judicial overreach and a potential tool for corporate censorship, according to details received by The Chenab Times.
In a press statement issued at 10:21 AM IST on September 18, 2025, PCI President Gautam Lahiri and Secretary General Neeraj Thakur criticized the order, which restrains five journalists and John Doe defendants from publishing allegedly defamatory reports about the Adani Group. The club termed it a classic case of Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP), unprecedented for its potential to silence the press.
The statement highlighted the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s subsequent ex-parte directive to remove 138 YouTube links and 83 Instagram posts, despite the order being under legal challenge, as equally alarming. PCI argued that the rising trend of ex-parte judicial orders against media, issued without allowing defendants to present their case, violates natural justice and risks establishing unmitigated censorship.
The PCI urged the judiciary to base defamation claims on material facts and data rather than sweeping allegations from powerful entities. “A free press is an essential feature of democracy. Its job is to make people in power accountable to the public and serve their right to know,” the statement read.
The club called for a meticulous judicial review to protect press freedom.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
