The Calcutta High Court has barred respondents from publishing or sharing an Adani documentary about industrialist Gautam Adani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following a defamation petition by Adani Enterprises. The interim injunction will remain in force until January 31, 2027, or further orders, whichever comes first.

Key Takeaways

  • The court ordered restrictions on the video and its clips, excerpts and materially identical reproductions.
  • YouTube, X and Instagram were directed to preserve account and access information associated with URLs listed in the petition.
  • The case is due to come before the regular bench in January 2027.

Adani documentary restrictions

In an order issued on October 26, 2026, Justice Aryak Dutt restrained respondents, including the owners and operators of X, YouTube and Instagram, from publishing, republishing, uploading or sharing the video through any medium or platform.

The court directed the respondents to remove the video and related material containing the contested statements from accounts, channels and pages they own or control. Platforms were also told to remove or disable access at URLs listed in the petition, including through reposts, quote posts and shares.

Petition and platform data orders

Adani Enterprises sought a ban on circulation and damages for defamation. The petition named tech entrepreneur Sabeer Bhatia, who is alleged to have made the video, and others. The company’s counsel said the video contained allegations against the petitioner that were false.

The platforms were directed to preserve subscriber and registration details, upload IP logs and access logs for the listed accounts and URLs. They must also disclose basic subscriber information for unidentified account holders under seal within two weeks of communication of the order.

The company said access to the original YouTube upload had been disabled in India, apparently following a government complaint under information technology rules, but claimed the video continued to circulate on other accounts.

What the injunction permits

The court said its order does not restrain constructive criticism or fair reporting about Adani Enterprises, the Adani Group or government policy, except through the challenged video, its reproductions or the statements referred to in the order.

Respondents were given four weeks from service to file affidavits in opposition, with Adani Enterprises due to file its reply within two weeks thereafter.

Next milestone

The case is scheduled to come before the regular bench in January 2027.

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