Delhi High Court restrains Nine Network Group from posting content defaming OYO

Delhi High Court restrains Nine Network Group from posting content defaming OYO

The matter is slated to be heard on 6 February 2023

The Delhi High Court has restrained inventiva.co.in, a business news website owned by the Nine Network Group, from publishing and disseminating false and misleading articles about hospitality startup OYO (Oravel Stays Limited). It directed the website to take down six allegedly defamatory articles with immediate effect.

The bench comprising Justice Mini Pushkarna stated, "The court restrains the defendants, including their servants, agents, representatives, employees and other constituents from making, publishing and disseminating or publishing any false, defamatory, disparaging and misleading statements or articles pertaining to the plaintiff."

The court stated that irreparable harm could be caused to OYO if interim relief was not granted. Thus, issuing a notice to the defendants, it sought a reply within the next four weeks.

OYO had moved the court seeking defamatory action against the website for its articles. It submitted that the brand had a credible reputation as a business in the eyes of the investors, prospective investors, and the public. But in utter disregard for OYO's reputation and goodwill, the defendants were consistently publishing articles on their website containing false, unsubstantiated, and disparaging claims against it.

The plea submitted that the content was freely available on the websites of the defendants as a result of which they were gaining traction. Written with a clear intent to damage the reputation of OYO and its founder, the articles made palpably false, untrue, and unverified allegations. These pertained to accusations of money laundering and other cases against the company. This was despite the fact that no such cases were pending against OYO or its founder.

OYO was represented by senior advocate Jayant Mehta, along with advocates Raghav Sabharwal and Raghav Bhatia.