“You have done something which was almost impossible,” Justice Tushar Rao Gedela remarked orally to the mediator, as the Delhi High Court was told that the defamation dispute between Anjana Om Kashyap And Khan Sir has been settled; mediation with 4PM News has failed and talks with another defendant remain pending.
New Delhi: The Rs 2 crore defamation suit filed by journalist Anjana Om Kashyap and TV Today Network over remarks about her coverage of “star teachers” has been settled with exam coaching teacher Faisal Khan, popularly known as Khan Sir, the Delhi High Court was informed on Wednesday (November 4) [Anjana Om Kashyap & Anr. v. Faisal Khan & Ors.].
Advocate Vrinda Bhandari, appearing for Kashyap, told Justice Tushar Rao Gedela that the matter had been settled with Khan Sir and five other defendants.
What the Court said
Addressing counsel for 4PM News, the Court observed that the remarks made by its journalist were not mere reporting but a personal opinion that what Kashyap was saying was “fake news ki dukaan”.
The Court requested Kashyap and 4PM News to take one more opportunity to explore mediation, and asked Rao to lend his good offices to facilitate a settlement.
Justice Gedela also recorded his appreciation for the mediator’s work, remarking orally:
“You have done something which was almost impossible. As I said on the first date, these things should not come to Court.”
The matter will next be heard on December 15.
Who has settled and who has not
Besides Khan Sir, the defendants who have settled are Babita Tyagi, Arvind Bhadauriya, Manish Yadav and the operators of the X accounts SamKhasa and Abhimanyu1305.
Bhandari told the Court that the settlement agreement will be signed in a few days and sought time to place it on record once finalised.
She informed the Court that mediation with defendant no. 8, 4PM News, had failed, while settlement talks with defendant no. 2, Abhinay Sharma, are still pending.
Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao had been appointed mediator by the Court in July.
How the dispute began
The controversy arose from a live debate on the NEET examination system, in which Kashyap allegedly criticised online teachers, calling them “frauds” and “explainers” chasing views. Kashyap and TV Today Network then filed the suit seeking removal of allegedly defamatory comments made by Khan Sir and others in response, including terms such as “bikau patrakar”, “chatukar” and “fake news dukaan”.
The Rs 2 crore suit also sought removal of the allegedly defamatory material from online and social media platforms.
Why the hearing matters
Defamation suits between public figures over social media remarks often run for years. The hearing shows court-annexed mediation resolving most of a multi-defendant dispute within a few months, with the Court itself stressing that such disputes ideally should not reach it at all.
At the same time, the Court’s remark distinguishing reporting from personal opinion on 4PM News signals how it may view the remaining claim if mediation fails, though no finding on the merits has been recorded.
Case Title: Anjana Om Kashyap & Anr. v. Faisal Khan & Ors.
Bench: Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, Delhi High Court
Date of Hearing: November 4, 2026
For the Plaintiffs: Advocate Vrinda Bhandari
Mediator: Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao