Delhi High Court Prohibits Manoj Manchu from Disseminating Defamatory Statements Against Journalist
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New Delhi, Dec 27 (NationPress) The Delhi High Court has issued an interim injunction preventing Telugu actor Manoj Manchu – the younger son of renowned Tollywood actor Mohan Babu – from publishing defamatory content directed at media professional Vinay Maheshwari.
A bench led by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma has temporarily prohibited Manoj Manchu, along with any representatives acting on his behalf, from creating, posting, tweeting, reposting, sharing, or sending any defamatory statements regarding Vinay Maheshwari and his family on any social media platform, messaging service, or public forum.
The single-judge bench determined that the defamatory claims aimed at Vinay Maheshwari could result in extensive public distribution and potentially inflict long-lasting damage to his reputation, establishing a strong prima facie case for granting an ad interim ex-parte injunction to avert further harm to his standing.
Justice Sharma's bench was assessing whether Vinay Maheshwari had established a prima facie case of defamation that would justify an injunction against the defendants from publishing or spreading defamatory content against him.
Highlighting that Manoj Manchu had made numerous tweets accusing Vinay Maheshwari of creating falsehoods, engaging in manipulative behavior, and targeting his family members, the Delhi High Court stated that “these statements, made without any substantiation, are prima facie defamatory”.
In its order, the Delhi HC instructed the removal of specific articles published by various media outlets, stating that these articles, which depicted Vinay Maheshwari as a central figure in the family dispute and linked him to financial misconduct, tarnished “his reputation and professional credibility, leading to public distrust and personal humiliation”.
The conflict arose when Manoj Manchu, involved in a family dispute with his father and brother, made defamatory tweets against Vinay Maheshwari, accusing him of manipulation and fabrication without any supporting evidence. These allegations were subsequently spread by multiple digital media channels and social media users, presenting Vinay Maheshwari as a pivotal character in the family dispute.
In his petition to the Delhi High Court, Vinay Maheshwari asserted that media articles and videos magnified these defamatory claims, emphasizing that these unfounded and libelous allegations have inflicted irreparable damage to his goodwill and reputation.
He argued that he has no involvement in the internal conflicts of the Manchu family and is being unjustly targeted to undermine his credibility and reputation.
