A magistrate court in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has reportedly convicted journalist Ravi Nair in a criminal defamation case and sentenced him to one year of imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 5,000. The case was filed by Adani Enterprises Limited, which alleged that Nair’s tweets and online articles contained defamatory statements aimed at damaging the reputation of the company and the wider Adani Group.  

According to reports, Nair has been sentenced to one year of simple imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000. The court also declined to grant probation, stressing that as a journalist, he was expected to understand the consequences of publishing serious allegations on digital platforms.

Adani Enterprises vs Ravi Nair Case In A Nutshell

The complaint, filed in 2021, pointed to a series of posts published between late 2020 and mid-2021. These included tweets and articles on a website that reportedly accused the group of corruption, misuse of government agencies, manipulation of environmental laws, and crony capitalism. In its case, the Adani Group company argued that the allegations made by Nair were 'false, unverified, and harmful to its standing' among regulators, investors, and the public.  

Adani Enterprises vs Ravi Nair: Who Said What

Nair denied the charges, maintaining that his work amounted to journalistic commentary on issues of public interest. He claimed that the material was based on information already available in the public domain and was protected under free speech. He also argued that his publications were fair criticism rather than defamatory attacks.  

The court, however, rejected this defence. According to multiple reports citing court proceedings, the court observed that the statements were presented as 'categorical allegations of illegality and corruption rather than opinion or policy critique'. The judge noted that Nair had failed to establish the truth of his claims or to show that they were made in good faith. The ruling further emphasised that freedom of speech does not extend to making unverified accusations that can harm reputations, including those of corporate entities.