The Delhi High Court held that an acquitted or discharged person’s right to dignity and reputation under Article 21 can override press freedom under Article 19(1)(a). The Court upheld de-indexing of arrest-related news articles, noting that continued online availability causes lasting reputational harm.
On May 30, 2023, a misleading tweet alleged that Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai was summoned for questioning by the STF and falsely connected him to a conman. The tweet was deleted within two hours, but it damaged Rai’s reputation. AajTak later apologized, and mediation for a defamation case is ongoing.
