Journalist Rohan Dua has filed a defamation case in the Delhi High Court against Twitter users who criticized his interview with Olympian Manu Bhaker as “sexist.” Justice Navin Chawla briefly heard the case and questioned Dua’s legal counsel about the interview’s content and Bhaker’s reception.
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NEW DELHI: Journalist Rohan Dua has initiated a defamation case in the Delhi High Court, seeking legal action against several Twitter users for their critical comments regarding his interview with Olympian Manu Bhaker. The social media backlash centered around allegations that Dua’s interview questions were “sexist” and inappropriate, drawing widespread criticism online.
The case was briefly heard today by Justice Navin Chawla, who posed a crucial question to Dua’s legal counsel regarding the nature of the interview and its reception by Manu Bhaker.
The judge inquired-
“Where is her approval for this interview? How can I know if she took offense or not? She is not a party involved here. Please provide a comment from her stating she has no issues with this.”
Advocate Raghav Awasthi, representing Rohan Dua, defended the interview, asserting that the questions posed to Bhaker were standard and had been asked by other journalists as well. He emphasized that the interview had been pre-approved by Bhaker’s team and that only a short clip from the 12-minute interview had gone viral, which led to the controversy.
“This concerns an interview I conducted with Manu Bhaker, which was approved by her team. The interview lasts 12 minutes, but only a 40-second clip is being circulated, accompanied by unfounded allegations. The question I asked is also being posed by other journalists. I made a compliment and the comment was entirely innocuous.”
– Awasthi argued.
Justice Chawla responded with skepticism, noting the absence of Bhaker’s direct involvement in the case and her opinion on the matter.
He remarked-
“How can I know if she took offense or not? She isn’t even involved in this matter.”
In light of these observations, Awasthi requested time to seek further instructions on this issue, and the court adjourned the case until September 2.
Background of the Interview and Social Media Reaction
Rohan Dua, the founder of the news platform The New Indian, conducted the now-controversial interview with Indian shooter Manu Bhaker after her remarkable achievement of winning two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics. During the interview, Dua asked Bhaker about her and her mother’s photos with fellow Olympian Neeraj Chopra, a question that quickly drew negative attention online.
In the viral clip, Dua can be heard asking Bhaker-
“This might seem like a trivial or awkward question, but since others have asked it, I’d like to as well. I don’t mean to undermine your medal or efforts in any way. However, given that the photos went viral alongside Neeraj Chopra, I’m curious if you view this as a compliment. You are one of the most attractive athletes in the history of Indian sports. Is there any truth to the speculation about a connection between you and Neeraj Chopra, or was it simply an isolated moment captured in a photo?”
Bhaker’s response to the question was measured and respectful. She explained that she had known Chopra for a long time and regarded him as one of the best athletes in the country. Bhaker also mentioned her mother’s strong attachment to other athletes, stating that her mother treats everyone as her own child.
Despite Bhaker’s calm and composed response, the interview segment sparked significant backlash on social media. A Twitter user named Roshan Rai, who is now a defendant in Dua’s defamation suit, was among the first to post the video and criticize the journalist.
Rai’s tweet read-
“Manu Bhaker returned after winning double bronze for India at the #Paris2024 Olympics at 22, yet the reporter focuses on her looks rather than her achievements. This reflects poorly on Indian journalism. What a shame.”
This sentiment was echoed by several other social media users who reposted the video, accusing Dua of being “sexist” and “unprofessional.”
In response to the social media storm, Rohan Dua has filed a defamation suit, arguing that the criticisms have unfairly maligned his professional reputation and painted him in a negative light. The suit claims that the comments circulating online have distorted the true context of the interview and have harmed Dua’s standing as a journalist.
“These defamatory claims, made without the full context of the interview, have unfairly harmed the reputation of Plaintiff No.2 (Rohan Dua). It is essential to restrain the social media accounts (Defendants No.1 to 13) from posting or spreading further defamatory content.”
-the suit asserts.
The legal action was filed by a team of advocates, including Mukesh Sharma, Lohitaksha Shukla, Chandni Shah, and Dinesh Sharma, who argue that the viral posts have caused significant harm to Dua’s reputation and professional credibility.
