The Gujarat High Court has granted an extension to Adani Enterprises to respond to journalist Ravi Nair’s request for release from custody in a criminal defamation case. This decision was made during a hearing on Monday, where the court adjourned Nair’s plea challenging his custody. Ravi Nair was previously convicted earlier this year for allegedly defaming the Adani Group, and although he had been released on bail pending an appeal, a non-bailable warrant issued by the Sessions Court resulted in his recent re-custody.
Nair has approached the High Court seeking release, with Justice MK Thakker presiding over the proceedings. The court agreed to Adani’s request for more time to prepare a response to the plea. Adani’s senior counsel, Mitesh Amin, expressed the intent to present additional facts against Nair, necessitating a brief adjournment. In contrast, Nair’s representative, Advocate Abhik Chimni, argued vehemently for his immediate interim release, citing a relevant Supreme Court judgment.
Chimni emphasized that the case is currently in the appellate stage, and questioned the necessity of Nair remaining in jail. The High Court, however, stated that a fair opportunity should be provided to the complainant, Adani Group, to present its legal perspective. With this understanding, the matter has been scheduled for further hearing on September 23.
The criminal defamation case against Ravi Nair originates from a complaint filed by the Adani Group in September 2021. The complaint alleged that between October 2020 and July 2021, Nair published multiple tweets and articles on “adaniwatch.org” accusing the Adani Group of unethical practices including corruption, crony capitalism, and misuse of government agencies. The Adani Group insisted these accusations were baseless, damaging its reputation among stakeholders.
In February, a magistrate’s court convicted Nair, ruling that his content exceeded fair criticism and constituted criminal defamation. Nair, however, refuted these allegations, claiming that his publications were within the bounds of journalistic commentary on issues of public concern and were based on publicly available information.
Following his conviction, Nair filed an appeal with the Sessions Court and was granted bail pending the appeal. However, his failure to appear in court led to the issuance of a non-bailable warrant. Upon his appearance in court, his challenge against the warrant was dismissed, resulting in his custody. Subsequently, Nair has sought relief from the High Court, which is currently considering the matter.
