Editors Guild Welcomes Suspension of Gag Order against Paranjoy Guha Thakurta in Adani Case

Moneylife Digital Team 29 September 2025

Economy & Nation

The Editors Guild of India (EGI) has welcomed the Delhi district court’s order suspending the sweeping gag order that had restrained senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta from reporting on Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL). The Guild described the ruling as a reaffirmation of press freedom and cautioned against the misuse of defamation suits to muzzle independent reporting.

On 6 September, civil judge Anuj Kumar Singh of the Rohini district court granted an ex parte injunction in a defamation suit filed by AEL. The order barred Mr Guha Thakurta, along with four other journalists—Ravi Nair, Ayaskant Das, Abir Dasgupta and Ayush Joshi—from publishing or circulating allegedly defamatory material. It even extended to unnamed “John Doe” defendants. Acting on this injunction, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) issued notices to intermediaries, which resulted in the removal of more than 200 pieces of content from platforms such as YouTube and Instagram.

While relief had been granted earlier to some of the journalists named, on 26 September, district judge Sunil Chaudhary clarified that the injunction is not binding on Mr Guha Thakurta. Until the civil court hears him and issues a reasoned order, he is free to continue reporting on AEL. Moneylife had reported on this significant development last week: Relief for Paranjoy Guha Thakurta: District Court Suspends Adani Gag Order Pending Fresh Hearing.

In its statement, the Editors Guild strongly criticised one-sided injunctions, arguing that such orders amount to censorship and erode press freedom. “This latest ruling reaffirms the principle that prior restraint on the press should not be imposed without hearing the affected parties,” the Guild said. It underlined that a free press is indispensable to a vibrant democracy, and urged both courts and government authorities to ensure that legal remedies do not become instruments to stifle critical yet responsible voices.

The original gag order had attracted sharp criticism from legal experts and media bodies, many of whom pointed out that such sweeping injunctions chill investigative journalism and grant disproportionate power to litigants before evidence is even tested in court. This case is being closely watched because of its implications for freedom of expression and the ability of journalists to scrutinise powerful corporate groups without fear of prior restraint.

The trial court in Rohini will now rehear the matter, giving Mr Guha Thakurta and others an opportunity to present their case before deciding whether any restrictions are warranted.

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