Delhi High Court Issues Notice on Anjana Om Kashyap’s ₹2 Crore Defamation Suit Against Khan Sir, Others

June 8, 2026 : The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice on an interim application filed by senior journalist Anjana Om Kashyap and TV Today Network, which operates Aaj Tak, in a ₹2 crore defamation suit against educator Faisal Khan, popularly known as Khan Sir, along with several social media users and content creators. The case arises from allegedly defamatory remarks made against Kashyap and the media network during a controversy linked to “star teachers” and the NEET examination debate.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna declined to grant any immediate interim relief and directed the defendants to file their responses. The Court also ordered issuance of notice to the remaining respondents through all permissible modes and listed the matter for further hearing on June 17.

The dispute originated from a live debate on the NEET examination system, during which Kashyap allegedly criticized certain online educators and content creators, questioning their credibility and accusing them of prioritizing viewership. Following the broadcast, Khan Sir allegedly made remarks referring to Kashyap as a “bikau patrakar,” “chatukar,” and accused her of “dalali” and running a “fake news ki dukaan.”

Appearing for the plaintiffs, senior counsel argued that multiple defendants had circulated abusive, derogatory, and toxic content on social media, causing significant damage to the reputation and professional standing of both Kashyap and TV Today Network. The plaintiffs further claimed that some posts contained threatening language and references to family members, making the content capable of inciting hostility and violence.

The defendants opposed the plea for immediate takedown orders, arguing that the matter involved competing narratives and that the Court could not selectively examine only one side’s statements. Some defendants maintained that their comments did not amount to defamation and contended that any assessment would require consideration of the complete context.

During the hearing, the Court observed that established legal principles require objectionable and defamatory content to be removed if it is found prima facie derogatory. However, it emphasized that all parties must first be heard before any such direction could be considered. The Court also noted that while freedom of speech is protected, content that is prima facie defamatory may still be liable for removal.

The defendants further argued that the suit improperly combined challenges to 18 separate pieces of content uploaded by eight different defendants across multiple platforms, raising questions about the maintainability of a single consolidated action. Concerns were also raised about granting a blanket injunction against multiple individuals without specific findings against each of them.

After hearing the parties, the High Court issued notice on the interim application and deferred consideration of any takedown directions until responses are filed. The underlying suit seeks removal of the impugned content from social media platforms and damages of ₹2 crore for alleged harm to the plaintiffs’ reputation and professional credibility.