Calcutta High Court halts streaming of Sabeer Bhatia video ‘How Modi-Adani Stole India’

The Calcutta High Court has temporarily halted the streaming of a controversial video titled "How Modi and Adani Stole India - The Friendship Files" by Sabeer Bhatia. The video, which alleges severe accusations of terror funding and narcotics smuggling against Adani Enterprises Limited, is the subject of a civil defamation plea by the company.

Justice Aryak Dutt ruled on October 26 that the video's continued circulation could cause irreparable harm to Adani's reputation and finances, as online content spreads quickly through reposts and re-uploads. The court emphasized that constructive criticism and truthful reporting are not prohibited, but the potential damage from further dissemination is significant.

Adani Enterprises Limited filed the defamation claim on October 9, accusing Bhatia and various social media platforms of spreading false and defamatory content. The court acknowledged the difficulty in compensating reputational damage with monetary damages and noted that the video was initially disabled in India under IT rules. However, Bhatia reposted the video on X, demonstrating a lack of good faith, according to the court. The case will be heard in January 2027.