Mumbai court grants Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra interim gag order against Instagram influencer

The city civil court at Mumbai has temporarily restrained social media influencer Shamita Yadav from publishing or circulating allegedly defamatory content against actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra and businessman Raj Kundra, and directed her to take down such existing material pending further orders [Shilpa Shetty & Anr v. Shamita Yadav].

An additional sessions judge SM Bukke passed the interim order on July 17 in a suit filed by Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra alleging defamation against Yadav and others. 

The court temporarily restrained Yadav, her agents and representatives, from publishing defamatory statements till the next date of hearing.

“Yadav, her agents and representatives, are temporarily restrained till next date, from publishing, uploading, circulating, republishing or disseminating any defamatory, malicious, or scandalous statements), allegations, or insinuations, whether written or spoken, amounting to libel and/or slander against the Plaintiffs, their companies through any electronic or other medium,” the order states. 

The judge further directed Yadav to remove the allegedly defamatory content from all her social media platforms or any other medium immediately. 

The matter is posted on August 21 to ensure that interim order has been complied with.

Shetty and Kundra filed a civil defamation suit in April 2026 against Yadav, Meta Platforms and “John Doe” (unknown) defendants seeking damages of ₹15 crore and injunction orders over two Instagram reels posted in February 2026 from the handle “the.ranting.gola.” 

The plaint alleges that the reels falsely portray the couple as criminals, ‘persons bereft of honour’, suggesting Kundra goes after minors, while accusing Shetty of endorsing communal discord and misleading the country.

The suit claims that the posts had gone viral, with the first video crossing 3.64 lakh likes. 

The suit contended that the content amounts to classic defamation by innuendo and portrayal, harms their personality rights and privacy, and unlawfully interferes with commercial relations and brand endorsements.

The Mumbai suit also relies on an ex parte temporary injunction dated February 6 passed by the city civil court in Bengaluru, where the court had restrained the unauthorised use of Shetty’s name, image and persona.

The plaintiffs also cited earlier Bombay High Court orders protecting Shetty’s personality and privacy rights and directing platforms to delete infringing URLs.

Advocates Pradeep D Gandhy, PG Chudasama, Laxman Yadav, Gaurav Gandhi, Atharva Navander and Abhineet N Pange appeared for Shetty and Kundra.