Delhi High Court Orders Removal Of Allegedly Defamatory Description Of ANI On Its Wikipedia Page

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday ordered take down or removal of allegedly defamatory content and description of news agency ANI Media Private Limited on its Wikipedia page.

Justice Subramonium Prasad directed Wikimedia Foundation, which hosts Wikipedia platform, to remove allegedly defamatory statements published against ANI on its Wikipedia page titled “Asian News International.”

The Court disposed of ANI's interim injunction plea seeking removal of the content as well as to restrain Wikipedia from publishing the same on the news agency's page on its platform.

The interim injunction plea forms part of ANI's Rs. 2 crore defamation suit against Wikimedia Foundation.

“Prayer 2 and 3 [granted],” Justice Prasad said while pronouncing the order.

Prayer 2 of the interim injunction plea sought a direction on Wikimedia Foundation to remove the allegedly defamatory content against ANI on its Wikipedia page as well as to restrain the platform's users and administrators from publishing anything defamatory against the news agency.

Prayer 3 sought a direction on Wikipedia to remove the protection status imposed on the ANI page.

Wikipedia's page says ANI "has been criticized for having served as a propaganda tool for the incumbent central government, distributing materials from a vast network of fake news websites, and misreporting events.”

In its suit against Wikimedia Foundation and its officials, ANI has said that the former has allegedly published palpably false and defamatory content with malicious intent of tarnishing the news agency's reputation and to discredit its goodwill.

In August last year, Wikipedia was directed by the Court to disclose to ANI the subscriber details of the three individuals available with it within two weeks.

Wikipedia challenged the said order before the division bench which took exception to a dedicated page the platform on the pending defamation proceedings.

The Wikipedia page in question was titled “Asian News International vs. Wikimedia Foundation.” It read “The judge in the case has threatened to order the government of India to shut down Wikipedia in the country.”

Later, the division bench had ordered take down of the page in question, noting that adverse comments were made against the single judge on the page which was prima facie contemptuous.

Wikipedia's appeal was disposed of after both the parties entered into a consent order and resolved the matter. The division bench had then asked the single judge to proceed ahead with the defamation suit.

In November, Justice Prasad had issued summons to three individuals who allegedly edited the Wikipedia page of ANI.

Recently, the Supreme Court issued notice on Wikipedia's appeal against the division bench's order directing removal of Wikipedia page relating to the defamation dispute.

Title: Wikimedia Foundation v. ANI & Ors. 

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Del) 402