Delhi High Court Orders Removal of Defamatory Content Against Isha Foundation

Court Ruling on Defamatory Content

On Thursday, the Delhi High Court instructed the Tamil magazine Nakkheeran to eliminate content deemed defamatory regarding Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation, as reported by a legal news outlet.

Justice Subramonium Prasad issued the interim ruling, dismissing the magazine's request to reject the Isha Foundation's application.

The Isha Foundation claimed that Nakkheeran published articles alleging misconduct and insinuating that individuals were being held against their will at its facilities.

The foundation pointed out that these articles were released despite the Supreme Court's closure of a habeas corpus case in October 2024, which had been initiated by a father alleging that his daughters were being held captive at the foundation's center in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

A habeas corpus petition allows courts to demand that authorities present a detained individual to confirm their status.

During the earlier proceedings, the Supreme Court determined that the two women were adults who chose to reside at the foundation voluntarily. The court concluded that the father's petition was resolved when the women expressed their desire to stay at the center.

However, the court clarified that the conclusion of the habeas corpus case does not hinder the police from pursuing other investigations related to the foundation.

The Isha Foundation subsequently approached the Delhi High Court, seeking ₹3 crore in damages from Nakkheeran and its editor for the publication of the allegedly defamatory material.

Additionally, Google was included in the lawsuit as the content was accessible through its search engine, and the purportedly defamatory videos were available on its YouTube platform, according to reports.