Delhi HC seeks The Caravan editor's response in ₹10 crore defamation suit by Nitin Gadkari’s son

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the responses of the editor-in-chief and a journalist of The Caravan magazine in a ₹10 crore defamation suit filed by Union minister Nitin Gadkari's son Nikhil Nitin Gadkari.

The suit was filed in connection with an article published by the magazine alleging financial links between Nikhil Gadkari's company CIAN Agro and a company involved in the beef trade.

Gadkari, who is the Managing Director of CIAN Agro, has sought the removal of The Caravan's March 2026 article titled “Nagpur's Beef - The Beef Company Enmeshed in Gadkari's Business Empire.”

The suit was filed jointly by CIAN Agro Industries & Infrastructure Ltd and its Managing Director, Nikhil Nitin Gadkari (plaintiffs). 

Justice Subramonium Prasad today also issued notice on the plaintiffs’ application seeking an interim injunction on the article.

Gadkari has sought a dynamic injunction restraining the defendants (Caravan and its journalists) from republishing or disseminating the allegedly defamatory material, including through future publications and social media platforms. 

The defendants named in the suit include Delhi Press Patra Prakashan, The Caravan, its editor-in-chief (Paresh Nath presently) and journalist Kaushal Shroff.

The article at the heart of the case raised allegations of ties between CIAN Agro and a beef export company named Rembal Agro. The article referred to shares allegedly held in CIAN Agro by persons connected with Rembal and loans extended to Rembal-linked individuals.

Gadkari has disputed these allegations, arguing that some transactions were cherry-picked to falsely portray “intimate” ties between CIAN and Rembal. 

“The impugned defamatory contents contains a series of false, reckless, misleading and defamatory statements and insinuations which seek to create the wholly incorrect impression that the Plaintiffs (including its directors and promoters) are directly or indirectly associated with the trade, processing or export of beef or bovine meat products. Further, the impugned defamatory contents deliberately conflates legally distinct terms such as ‘buff’ (buffalo meat) and ‘beef’ (cow meat), with the evident intention of creating public outrage and communal sensitivity directed against the plaintiffs, its directors / promoters,” the suit said.

The plaintiffs have further asserted that CIAN Agro is engaged exclusively in the manufacture and trade of agro-based commodities, such as, frozen vegetables, spices, sugar, edible oils, and allied personal and home care products, all of which are entirely vegetarian in nature. 

During today’s hearing, the Court also noted that Gadkari and CIAN Agro had complained of the article being republished and amplified through social media and influencers. 

Meta's counsel, advocate Varun Pathak, pointed out that the suit did not implead advocate Prashant Bhushan, who had reposted the article on X, or influencer Dhruv Rathee, who made a video about the article and posted it on social media. 

The Court, however, said it would first hear The Caravan and examine the material on which the publication was based.

“At the moment, it is only the magazine, the content uploaded by the magazine which is the subject matter. I would rather first hear the magazine,” the judge said. 

The Court observed the central issue at this stage would be whether the article was based on facts and whether a prima facie case was made out regarding the alleged financial transactions.

Justice Prasad further said the Court would have to hear The Caravan before passing an order affecting freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.

"At the end of the day, 19(1)(a) has been given a huge importance by our courts, specially two kilometres away (referring to Supreme Court),” Justice Prasad observed. 

The matter will be heard next on August 31.

The suit was filed through advocates Tejas Patel and Meera Kaura Patel.