Delhi HC fines NGO for repeated adjournments in ₹10k crore defamation suit against BBC over PM Modi documentary

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on a Gujarat-based non-profit called Justice on Trial for seeking repeated adjournments in its ₹10,000 crore defamation case against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for a documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Justice Mini Pushkarna passed the order after counsel appearing for the NGO sought an adjournment in the case.

The lawyer said that the NGO was engaging a counsel to address arguments on the maintainability of the plea.

The Court noted that on the last date of hearing on December 2, 2025, the Court had granted the NGO the last and final opportunity to argue how the case is maintainable.

Therefore, Justice Pushkarna listed the matter for further consideration in August, subject to the petitioner paying costs of ₹20,000.

On December 2, 2025, Justice Amit Bansal noted that the case was filed in 2023 and that the Court had raised questions about the case's maintainability. However, since then, the plaintiff has sought repeated adjournments. 

The Court said that it would grant the plaintiff a last and final opportunity to address arguments on how the case is maintainable. 

"We notice that repeated adjournments are being taken for the last several dates. Last opportunity is given to address the maintainability," the Court said in its order. 

Even then, the counsel appearing for the non-profit said that adjournments were sought because they are in the process of engaging a senior counsel.

In its suit, Justice on Trial has argued that the BBC's two-part documentary titled India: The Modi Question cast a slur on the reputation of India, its judiciary as well as the Prime Minister. 

At present, the Court is dealing with the NGO's indigent person application (IPA). Order XXXIII of the Code of Civil Procedure says that a suit can be instituted by an indigent person if he does not have sufficient means to pay the fee prescribed by law for the plaint in such a suit.

Justice on Trial has sought damages of ₹10,000 crore from the BBC.

The High Court had issued notices on the IPA on May 22, 2023.