Journalist Ravi Nair Withdraws Supreme Court Petition
On a recent hearing, journalist Ravi Nair decided to withdraw his petition before the Supreme Court of India, in which he challenged a cheating and forgery case initiated by the Gujarat Police. The case pertains to an article co-authored by Nair for The Washington Post, scrutinizing the Adani Group’s investments by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) [Ravi Nair vs. Union of India].
The controversial article suggested that governmental influence was behind LIC’s investments in Adani Group companies. When Nair’s petition was presented to the bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Nair, declared that he had advised his client to withdraw the plea.
“I have advised my client. As and when a chargesheet is filed, we will raise all these points,” conveyed Sibal.
Consequently, the Court documented that Sibal requested to withdraw the petition, which was permitted. The Court’s order stated: “Mr. Kapil Sibal states that this petition may be dismissed as withdrawn, leaving it open for the petitioner to raise his grievances at the appropriate stage before the appropriate forum.”
Background of the Case
The case originated from summons issued by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, demanding a preliminary inquiry into an article co-authored by Nair titled “India’s $3.9 billion plan to help Modi’s mogul ally after US charges.” This report asserted that Indian officials had orchestrated a $3.9 billion investment initiative directed towards Gautam Adani’s businesses through LIC, a state-owned insurance entity.
The article further alleged that the plan involved acquiring corporate bonds and enhancing LIC’s equity in several Adani subsidiaries, purportedly to endorse confidence in the conglomerate amidst financial scrutiny and legal challenges faced abroad. The report also referred to a 2024 indictment by US authorities against Adani and prior allegations from Hindenburg Research, which accused the Adani Group of stock manipulation and other financial malpractices, all of which the group denied.
After the publication, summons were issued to Nair by the Crime Branch. In response, Nair filed a petition under Article 32 with the Supreme Court, challenging the summons. However, on March 16, the Supreme Court suggested Nair approach the Gujarat High Court first. Consequently, an FIR was registered, prompting Nair to seek quashing in the Gujarat High Court, a plea that was subsequently rejected, leading him back to the Supreme Court.
Previous Conviction
Adding to the legal challenges, Nair recently faced conviction in a separate criminal defamation case filed by the Adani Group in Gujarat. The court ruled that Nair’s tweets and articles alleging cronyism and corruption against the Adani Group transcended criticism into criminal defamation. The court noted that these allegations were presented as factual without verification, harming the company’s reputation. Nair was sentenced to a year of simple imprisonment and fined ₹5,000.
As this legal saga unfolds, it remains to be seen how the future charges will be addressed once a chargesheet is filed.
