Delhi High Court: In a ₹2 crores defamation suit filed under Order 39 Rules 1 and 2, Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC), by Journalist Anjana Om Kashyap and the TV Today Network against popular educator Faisal Khan (popularly known as Khan Sir) and several other individuals over their allegedly defamatory, insulting and derogatory comments following her criticism of the growing influence of “star teachers”, the Single Judge Bench of Neena Bansal Krishna, J., issued summons to the defendants.
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The controversy arose in the aftermath of public debates concerning the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examination and wherein she commented on the growing influence of “star teachers” and the commercialisation of education.
The plaintiffs alleged that respondents launched a coordinated campaign against them through social media platforms and made defamatory statements, insults, and derogatory remarks such as “bikau patrakar”, “chatukar”, “dalli”, and accused them of engaging in “dalaali” and operating a “fake news ki dukaan”. The plaintiffs claimed that the campaign adversely affected their reputation and goodwill and also raised concerns regarding the disclosure of information relating to plaintiff’s family, particularly, her daughter.
The Court
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Issued summons to the defendants who had not yet appeared through all permissible modes.
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Directed defendants who had already entered appearance to file their replies to the plaintiffs’ application under Order 39 Rules 1 and 2 CPC before the next date of hearing 17 June 2026.
[Anjana Om Kashyap v. Faisal Khan, CS(OS) 538/2026, order dated 8-6-2026]
With inputs from Press
Advocates who appeared in this case:
Mr. Mriganga Dattah, Sr. Adv. with Mr. Hrishikesh Baruah, Mr. Utkarsh Dwivedi, Mr. Anurag Mishra, Ms. Pragya Agarwal, Mr. Ayush Yadav, Advs., Counsel for Plaintiffs 1 and 2.
Mr. M. Dutta, Senior Advocate, Mr. Aayush Goyal, Mr. Aditya Guha, Mr. Anand Kumar Soni, Mr. Hrishikesh Baruah, Mr. Utkarsha Dwivedi, Ms. Pragya Agarwal, Advs., Counsel for the Plaintiff
Mr. Gauhar Mirza, Mr. Kaveesh Nair and Mr. Arnav Chopra, Advs., Counsel for the Defendant 2.
Mr. Shri Rakesh Malhotra, Bharat Malhotra and Poorvi, Advs., Counsel for the Defendant 4.
Mr. Rakesh Malhotra, Mr. R.K.Tripathi, Advs., Counsel for the Defendant 5.
Mr. Taksh Suri, Mr. Kushal Malhotra, Mr. Abhijeet Singh, Advs., Counsel for the Defendant 6.
Mr. Sudhanshu Tewari, Mr. S M Haider Rizvi, Mr. Talha Abdul Rahman, Mr. M Shaz Khan, Mr. Faizan Ahmed, Advs., Counsel for the Defendant 8.
