On April 16, Senior Advocate and BJP National Spokesperson Nalin Kohli filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court against D.B. Corp Limited, the publisher of the Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar.
The case was first listed before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, who chose to recuse himself from hearing the matter. The Court has now directed that the case be presented before another judge on the following day.
Along with Dainik Bhaskar, the suit also names several journalists, X Corp (formerly Twitter), and multiple individuals as defendants.
The defamation suit arises from a video and article published by Dainik Bhaskar related to an alleged sting operation. The publication reportedly included “false and unverified claims” linking Kohli to the creation and spread of fake news that allegedly targeted political leaders.
“The publication irresponsibly placed the Plaintiff’s image beside a defamatory narrative,” the suit claims.
In response, Kohli has demanded ₹2 crores as compensation for damages and requested the immediate removal of the allegedly defamatory material. He also urged the Court to issue directions to stop any further publication of the same content. As a temporary relief, Kohli has asked for the immediate takedown of the video and article.
According to Kohli, the publication falsely accuses him of being involved in designing fake images and false campaigns on social media. These accusations are said to be based on statements by one Vijay Sharma, who allegedly told the Dainik Bhaskar team that he had worked with Kohli in spreading fake media content against key leaders of the Indian National Congress, including Rahul Gandhi, late Dr. Manmohan Singh, and Sonia Gandhi.
“Defamatory statements were made by Sharma to the Dainik Bhaskar team, and the same were broadcast without any form of verification,” states the suit.
“The statements, which are scandalous, fabricated, and reckless, have been widely published, circulated, and read by the public at large, significantly diminishing the Plaintiff’s reputation,” it further reads.
Kohli has emphasized in the lawsuit that these actions appear to be motivated by personal gain, aimed at damaging his public image through false accusations.
“The malevolent nature of these statements reflects a deliberate attempt to tarnish the Plaintiff’s image, motivated by ulterior motives of making wrongful gains,” the suit highlights.
The Court is expected to re-list the matter before a new bench, where the defamation allegations and interim reliefs sought by Kohli will be examined.
Senior Advocate Aman Lekhi along with Advocate Shankh Sengupta appeared for Kohli.
Title: NALIN SATYAKAM KOHLI v. D.B. CORP LIMITED & ORS
