Abhijit Iyer Mitra has approached the Delhi High Court seeking dismissal of a defamation suit filed by nine Newslaundry journalists over alleged abusive social media posts. The case, which seeks ₹2 crore in damages and a written apology, has been listed for further hearing.
The Supreme Court of India granted interim protection to Wajahat Khan, staying his arrest in a hate speech case. Khan faces FIRs across six states for inciting religious sentiments. The Court ordered notices to the Centre and the states, with the next hearing set for July 14, emphasizing the lasting impact of hate speech.
A Kolkata court denied bail to Wajahat Khan, who faced accusations of hate speech against Hindus after filing a complaint against influencer Sharmishta Panoli. Khan, arrested on June 9, had evaded authorities since June 1. Panoli, granted interim bail, is restricted from leaving India pending further legal proceedings.
Sharmishta Panoli, a 22-year-old law student and influencer from Pune, was arrested for a controversial video on Operation Sindoor that sparked public outrage and led to her being placed in judicial custody until June 13. Despite apologizing and deleting the video, criticism and legal actions followed her arrest, raising political concerns about misuse of police powers.
The Kerala High Court granted anticipatory bail to film director Akhil Marar for his controversial comments on the Indo-Pak conflict. The court upheld freedom of speech, stating that expressions without direct calls for rebellion do not constitute a crime. Marar claimed his remarks were misconstrued and relevant to public knowledge.