The Delhi High Court has granted interim protection to professional basketball player Kushal Singh in a civil defamation suit, directing the removal of certain Instagram posts, reels, stories and related content that allegedly contained defamatory statements about him. Justice Sachin Datta passed the order after noting the plaintiff's grievance that a sustained online campaign had been launched against him through an Instagram account.
Background of the Case
According to the suit, Kushal Singh, a member of the senior Indian National Basketball team who has represented India at international events, approached the High Court alleging that Muskaan Tiwari, operating the Instagram handle @muskaanxt, had published multiple reels, stories and posts making defamatory allegations against him. The plaintiff contended that the content had attracted thousands of views and had caused serious harm to his reputation.
The Court also directed that summons be issued to the defendants and fixed timelines for filing the written statement, replication and completion of pleadings.
Court's Observations
During the hearing, counsel for the plaintiff argued that the online campaign was continuing with fresh reels and stories being uploaded, allegedly with the intention of damaging the player's reputation.
Recording the submissions, the Court noted that the plaintiff claimed the publications contained "false and defamatory imputations" and that the content was "per se defamatory."
The Court further took note of the allegation that the defendant had urged followers to tag basketball agencies, thereby amplifying the disputed content.
Court's Decision
Granting interim relief, Justice Sachin Datta directed the first defendant to immediately remove all Instagram posts, reels, story highlights, captions, comments and other published content concerning the plaintiff that allegedly made false accusations or imputations of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct or similar acts.
The Court further ordered that if the defendant failed to remove the content, the plaintiff would be at liberty to approach the second defendant to ensure compliance with the order.
The matter has been listed before the Joint Registrar on 17 September 2026 for completion of pleadings and before the Court on 13 January 2027.
Case Details
Case Title: Kushal Singh v. Ms. Muskaan Tiwari & Anr.
Case Number: CS(OS) 659/2026 (CNR No. DLHC010341972026)
Judge: Justice Sachin Datta
Decision Date: 31 July 2026
