Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Gujarat High Court Denies Relief to Journalist Ravi Nair
Adani Enterprises accused journalist Ravi Nair of posting statements that harmed its reputation.
The posts discussed the Adani Group and other public issues.
A lower court found Nair guilty and sentenced him to one year in prison.
He appealed the decision and was allowed to remain on bail.
The appeal court required him to attend hearings in person.
Nair missed a hearing on September 3, and a court issued a non-bailable warrant.
He was arrested and sent to jail on September 17.
Nair’s lawyer said he had attended several other hearings and had health-related reasons for missing this one.
The High Court did not order his release for now and will issue its decision on September 30.
The Gujarat High Court refused interim relief and release from custody to journalist Ravi Nair in Adani Enterprises’ criminal defamation case.
Nair was arrested on September 17 after a Gandhinagar court issued a non-bailable warrant over his failure to attend an appeal hearing in person.
The case concerns posts published between October 2020 and July 2021 about the Adani Group, including Hindenburg Research allegations and a port-privatisation strike.
Nair was convicted on February 10, 2026, and sentenced to one year in prison; an appellate court granted him bail on March 9, 2026.
Justice M K Thakker said the executed warrant could not be challenged in the present manner and reserved the order for September 30.
- Who
- Journalist Ravi Nair, Adani Enterprises Limited, and the Gujarat High Court, with Justice M K Thakker hearing Nair’s petition.
- What
- The High Court refused interim relief and release from custody while Nair challenges a non-bailable warrant issued in a criminal defamation case.
- When
- Nair was arrested on September 17; the disputed hearing was on September 3; the High Court’s order is scheduled for September 30. The conviction occurred on February 10, 2026, and bail was granted on March 9, 2026.
- Where
- The proceedings involve the Gujarat High Court and courts in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
- Why
- Adani Enterprises alleges that Nair published false and defamatory posts intended to damage its reputation; Nair is challenging the resulting conviction and warrant.
Nair and Free-Expression Concerns
Adani Enterprises and Court Compliance
Nature of the posts
Nair and Free-Expression Concerns
Nair’s lawyers and Amnesty International frame the matter as involving journalism, freedom of expression, and fair-trial rights.
Adani Enterprises and Court Compliance
Adani Enterprises says the posts contained false and defamatory statements intended to undermine the company’s credibility with the public and investors.
Attendance and warrant
Nair and Free-Expression Concerns
Nair’s lawyer said he attended three or four of the eight appeal hearings, received an exemption on another date, and missed the September 3 hearing because of poor health and travel difficulties.
Adani Enterprises and Court Compliance
Adani Enterprises argued that Nair’s conduct before the appellate court was relevant, while the High Court said the executed non-bailable warrant could not be challenged in the current manner.
Court filings and release
Nair and Free-Expression Concerns
Nair sought interim relief and release from custody while challenging the warrant and his conviction.
Adani Enterprises and Court Compliance
Adani Enterprises objected that Nair had not disclosed his separate bail application before the sessions court and urged that the custody order remain in force until at least October 1.
- Accused
- Journalist Ravi Nair
- Complainant
- Adani Enterprises Limited
- Posts at issue
- Posts on X published between October 2020 and July 2021
- Lower-court sentence
- One year of simple imprisonment, imposed on February 10, 2026
- Custody date
- September 17
- Appellate bail
- Granted on March 9, 2026, subject to personal attendance at appeal hearings
- Next High Court order
- Justice M K Thakker said the order would be dictated on September 30
