Archive · 21 Jul 2026
HC Recalls Order Against The Wire
The Delhi High Court has decided to take back its earlier order that told a news website called The Wire not to publish anything bad about a former government official named Naresh Kumar.
The court said the earlier order was too strict and not based on real facts.
Naresh Kumar had sued The Wire because he said an article they wrote was mean and not true.
The article was about a piece of land that was bought for a road.
The court is still deciding if the article was really mean or not.
The Wire says the article was okay because it was based on a report given to the Delhi government.
The court will make a final decision after the trial is over.
Delhi High Court recalled its interim order against The Wire to not publish defamatory content against Naresh Kumar.
The court found the interim directions over-broad, presumptive, and based on a hypothetical situation.
The defamation suit was filed by Naresh Kumar over a November 9, 2023 article about the Bamnoli land acquisition.
The article alleged links between the then chief secretary's son and the beneficiary's family.
The court will decide on the merits of the defamation case after the trial concludes.
- Who
- Naresh Kumar (plaintiff) vs. The Wire (defendant)
- What
- Delhi High Court recalled its order against The Wire to not publish defamatory content against Naresh Kumar
- When
- July 20, 2024
- Where
- Delhi High Court
- Why
- The interim directions were deemed over-broad, presumptive, and based on a hypothetical situation
Naresh Kumar's Legal Team
The Wire's Legal Team
Defamatory Content
Naresh Kumar's Legal Team
The article contains defamatory imputations and is ex-facie misleading.
The Wire's Legal Team
The article does not contain any defamatory imputation and is justified by a Preliminary Report submitted to the Delhi Chief Minister.
Interim Directions
Naresh Kumar's Legal Team
Interim directions to remove the article and restrain further publication are necessary to protect the plaintiff's reputation.
The Wire's Legal Team
The interim directions are over-broad, presumptive, and based on a hypothetical situation, making them untenable in law.
- Plaintiff
- Naresh Kumar, former Delhi chief secretary
- Defendant
- The Wire news portal and its reporter
- Article Date
- November 9, 2023
- Land Acquisition
- 19-acre land acquired by NHAI for Dwarka Expressway
- Initial Court Order
- November 22, 2023, directing The Wire to take down the article and restrain further publication
- Recall of Order
- July 20, 2024, Delhi High Court recalled the interim directions
- Land Price Increase
- From Rs 41.52 crore to Rs 353.79 crore in May 2018
- Action Initiated
- Union Ministry of Home Affairs initiated action against South West Delhi District Magistrate Hemant Kumar