Bombay High Court Orders Sprouts News to Remove Defamatory Articles Against Godrej Properties
The Bombay High Court granted an ex-parte interim injunction to Godrej Properties, directing Sprouts News to remove and cease further publication of defamatory articles that maliciously insinuated criminal conduct.
DefamationGodrej PropertiesSprouts NewsBombay High CourtReal EstateReal Estate NewsAug 26, 2025
The Court, presided over by Justice R.I. Chagla, granted an ex-parte interim injunction to Godrej Properties, which had filed an interim application against Sprouts News. Godrej alleged that the articles were materially false and defamatory, giving an impression to potential buyers that the company had not obtained a mandatory fire NOC for its real estate project in Haryana by referring to the repealed Haryana Fire and Emergency Services Act, 2009.
One of the defamatory articles was titled “Godrej’s Rs.5,000 Crore plus project under fire over by ‘toothless’ HRERA.” Another article placed the word “Fraud” before Godrej’s logo and registered trademark, further exacerbating the damage to Godrej’s business and commercial reputation. Godrej accused Sprouts News of publishing several criminal offenses in the defamatory and malicious articles.
Aggrieved by these publications, Godrej moved an interim application for the removal and cessation of further publication of the defamatory content. The Court observed that the article published on August 18, 2025, where the word “Fraud” was placed before Godrej’s logo, conveyed a malicious insinuation of criminal conduct by Godrej regarding its real estate project in Haryana.
The Court opined that Godrej had made a strong prima facie case for restraining the defendants from publishing articles containing statements that are false, reckless, malicious, and grossly injurious and damaging to Godrej’s business and commercial reputation. Accordingly, the Court granted ex-parte ad-interim relief to Godrej, holding that the articles harmed the commercial reputation of Godrej and conveyed malicious insinuations of criminal conduct.
Therefore, the Court directed Sprouts News to take down the defamatory articles from all social media and online platforms and restrained them from further publication of those articles. This decision underscores the importance of responsible journalism and the legal consequences of publishing defamatory content, especially in the context of corporate and commercial reputations.
[Godrej Properties Ltd. v. Sprouts News, I.A (L) No. 26439 of 2025, decided on: 22-8-2025]
Advocates who appeared in this case:
Advocate for the Applicant: Virag Tulzapurkar, Sharan Jagtiani, Senior Advocate; Mayur Khandeparkar, Karan Bhide, Nitesh Ranavat Disha Shetty i/b. Wadia Ghandy and Co., Advocates
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the main issue in the defamation case filed by Godrej Properties?
The main issue was the publication of defamatory articles by Sprouts News, which maliciously insinuated criminal conduct by Godrej Properties, damaging its commercial reputation.
What did the Bombay High Court decide in this case?
The Bombay High Court granted an ex-parte interim injunction to Godrej Properties, directing Sprouts News to remove the defamatory articles and cease further publication.
What was the impact of the defamatory articles on Godrej Properties?
The defamatory articles harmed Godrej Properties' commercial reputation by giving potential buyers the impression that the company had not obtained a mandatory fire NOC and by accusing it of criminal offenses.
What is the significance of this legal decision for journalism?
This decision underscores the importance of responsible journalism and the legal consequences of publishing defamatory content, especially in the context of corporate and commercial reputations.
Who represented Godrej Properties in this case?
Godrej Properties was represented by Virag Tulzapurkar, Sharan Jagtiani, Senior Advocate; Mayur Khandeparkar, Karan Bhide, Nitesh Ranavat Disha Shetty i/b. Wadia Ghandy and Co., Advocates.
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