The Karnataka High Court has issued notice to Google and two Sri Lankan news portals on a plea by Sri Lankan Supreme Court judge Justice AHM Dilip Nawaz seeking removal of allegedly defamatory articles. The judge invoked Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, arguing that the right to life and reputation also protects foreigners.
The Karnataka High Court has sought a response from Google on a plea filed by a sitting judge of the Sri Lankan Supreme Court, Justice AHM Dilip Nawaz, who has approached the Court seeking removal of allegedly defamatory online articles published in 2015 and 2020.
The matter was heard by Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum, who issued notice to Google and two Sri Lankan news outlets accused of publishing the content — Colombo Telegraph and Lanka e-News.
Justice Nawaz, in his petition, explained that he approached the Indian judiciary because filing a case in Sri Lanka would raise ethical concerns due to his position as a sitting judge of the country’s Supreme Court. According to the plea, initiating legal proceedings in his own country could violate the principle that a person should not adjudicate matters connected to themselves.
“As a judge of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, the petitioner is ethically prohibited from filing a lawsuit to address these defamatory articles, as it would conflict with the well established legal principle that one cannot be a judge in their own cause … Therefore, he has recused him from involvement in this matter, as any such action would be deemed ethically improper and inconsistent with judicial ethics,”
the petition said.
Along with Google, the High Court also issued notice to Colombo Telegraph — a news portal reportedly run by exiled Sri Lankan journalists — and Lanka e-News. These two outlets are alleged to have published articles containing defamatory claims about the judge.
Justice Nawaz has asked the Court not only to direct the deletion of the articles but also to order a complete removal of related search results on Google. He has argued that the continued availability of these links violates his “right to be forgotten,” a concept increasingly recognized in digital privacy jurisprudence.
The petition was filed in January 2025, but the Court issued formal notice only recently. The matter has now been listed for a preliminary hearing on March 16, 2026.
“Sri Manu P Kulkarni, learned standing counsel is directed to accept notice for respondents No.2 and 3 (Google). Learned counsel for the petitioner is hereby directed to serve notice to respondents No.4 and 5 (news outlets) through E-mail. Re-list this matter in preliminary hearing on 16.03.2026,”
the order passed on Thursday said.
In his petition, Justice Nawaz has specifically requested the removal of four articles — one published in 2015 by Colombo Telegraph, two more articles by the same outlet in 2020, and another article published in 2020 by Lanka e-News.
The judge has stated that the articles were published at a time when he was serving as the President of the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka. According to the plea, the publications were part of a targeted campaign intended to damage his reputation after he issued certain legal opinions that aligned with the position of the then Attorney General.
The petition further explains that a criminal case linked to the allegations mentioned in the articles was politically motivated and lacked merit. That case was later quashed, and he was subsequently cleared for elevation to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.
Despite these developments, the articles allegedly continue to circulate online, creating what the petition describes as a “media trial.” Justice Nawaz has argued that this ongoing circulation harms his reputation and undermines the dignity and credibility of the judiciary.
In the petition, the judge also expressed confidence in the Indian judicial system and its ability to deliver fair justice regardless of nationality.
“Protection afforded under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution is not restricted to Indian citizens alone but extends to all individuals, including foreigners, ensuring that every person, regardless of their origin, is entitled to the right to life and personal liberty, free from unlawful deprivation. This fundamental right, enshrined in the Constitution, guarantees that no individual shall suffer undue harm or infringement of their dignity, and it is with this legal foundation that I seek redress for the grievous harm done to (the petitioner’s) reputation,”
the plea said.
Justice Nawaz has also informed the Court that he had previously issued a legal notice to Google in 2023 requesting the removal of the allegedly defamatory content. However, according to the petition, the notice did not lead to any meaningful action.
The plea argues that the articles contain baseless allegations and falsely suggest that the judge committed a crime that he has never committed and would never commit. It contends that the continued availability of such content online causes serious harm to his reputation and professional standing.
The petition has been filed through advocate R Prabhakaran, and the Karnataka High Court will examine the matter further during the preliminary hearing scheduled later this month.
Case Title:
Justice AHMD Nawaz v. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
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