Newslaundry Employees Stand Firm in Defamation Case Against Abhijit Iyer-Mitra

The women employees of Newslaundry are resolute in their defamation lawsuit against commentator Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, seeking a public apology and damages. They allege that Iyer-Mitra's derogatory social media posts targeted them with malicious intent, undermining their dignity as professionals. The case is set for further hearings, with the court addressing the implications of Iyer-Mitra's comments on free speech and journalistic criticism. This ongoing legal battle highlights the challenges faced by women in the media industry and their fight for respect and justice.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 26, 2026, 19:39 IST

Defamation Case Update

On Thursday, female staff members from the digital news platform Newslaundry informed the Delhi High Court that they will not retract their defamation lawsuit against commentator Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, as reported by a legal news outlet.

Justice Vikas Mahajan has scheduled the case for further proceedings before the joint registrar, with the next hearing set for May 19.

In May, nine employees from Newslaundry initiated a defamation lawsuit against Iyer-Mitra, demanding a public apology and compensation of Rs 2 crore. Iyer-Mitra is known for his columns in a publication aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The plaintiffs alleged that Iyer-Mitra had targeted the women employees with derogatory remarks through various social media posts, which they described as 'false and malicious.'

They contended that his statements were made with the intent to damage their dignity and reputation.

The employees emphasized that Iyer-Mitra's remarks do not fall under the umbrella of free speech or journalistic critique, but rather constitute sexist insults aimed at degrading women professionals.

They asserted that these comments directly undermine their dignity and their right to work without the threat of harassment.

The nine individuals who filed the defamation suit include Manisha Pande, Ishita Pradeep, Suhasini Biswas, Sumedha Mittal, Tista Roy Chowdhury, Tasneem Fatia, Priya Jain, Jayashree Arunachalam, and Priyali Dhingra. Newslaundry is also a co-plaintiff in this case.

On May 21, Iyer-Mitra indicated to the court that he would remove the social media posts containing the allegedly abusive comments.

By May 26, Iyer-Mitra's attorney informed the court that the contentious posts had indeed been taken down.

However, Bani Dixit, representing the Newslaundry journalists, argued that there was 'absolutely no remorse' from Iyer-Mitra, noting that he continued to engage with the post in a poetic manner.

The court subsequently issued a summons to Iyer-Mitra.