Archive · 28 Nov 2025
Delhi Court Upholds Right to Be Forgotten for Exonerated Banker
A court in Delhi has told big news companies and search engines to remove old news stories about a banker named Nitin Bhatnagar.
These stories were about a money-laundering case he was involved in, but he was later found not guilty.
The court said that keeping these old stories online was hurting his reputation and dignity.
The judge said that once someone is cleared of all charges, old news stories about them should not be easily found online.
The court also said that everyone has the right to live with dignity and peace.
So, they ordered the news companies and search engines to take down these old stories until the main case is fully decided.
This is to protect the banker from any more harm while the case is still going on.
Delhi Court directed media organisations and search engines to remove and de-index past news reports naming Nitin Bhatnagar in the Moser Baer money-laundering case.
The court noted that the continued availability of outdated allegations was causing harm to Bhatnagar's dignity and reputation.
Bhatnagar was discharged on August 17, 2024, and the entire complaint was dismissed on July 24, 2025, amounting to complete exoneration.
The court emphasised that the right to live with dignity and peace of mind is intrinsic to the constitutional guarantee of life and liberty.
As an interim measure, the court restrained media defendants from publishing further content linking Bhatnagar to the case and ordered the removal of relevant URLs.
- Who
- Nitin Bhatnagar, a banker exonerated in the Moser Baer money-laundering case
- What
- Delhi Court upheld the 'right to be forgotten' to protect the banker's reputation
- When
- The order was passed recently, with the banker being discharged on August 17, 2024, and the complaint dismissed on July 24, 2025
- Where
- Patiala House of Court, Delhi
- Why
- To prevent ongoing harm to the banker's dignity and reputation from outdated allegations
- Banker's Name
- Nitin Bhatnagar
- Case Involved
- Moser Baer money-laundering case
- Discharge Date
- August 17, 2024
- Complaint Dismissal Date
- July 24, 2025
- Court
- Patiala House of Court
- Judge
- Principal District & Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna
- Right Invoked
- Right to be Forgotten
- Defendants
- Major media organisations, search engines, Google, India Kanoon