Press Freedom and Right to Be Forgotten Clash in Challenge to Sandesara Gag Order
Financial journalist Sucheta Dalal, representing Moneylife, has challenged a sweeping gag order issued by a Delhi court that mandated the removal of online reports concerning the Sterling Biotech bank fraud case. The order, initially granted ex-parte to Manoj Sandesara, a promoter of the Sterling Group, required tech giants Google and Meta to de-index content labeling the family as fugitives or money launderers. Sandesara argued that such labels were defamatory following a Supreme Court settlement that ended criminal proceedings against the group after a Rs 5,100 crore deposit. However, Dalal’s appeal contends the order constitutes a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) and violates press freedom. The challenge highlights the tension between the right to be forgotten and journalistic integrity. District Judge Vinod Kumar Meena has issued notices to Google, Meta, and Sandesara, with the next hearing scheduled for April 29. The case raises significant legal questions regarding censorship, the permanence of digital records, and the limits of media freedom in India when dealing with settled financial disputes.
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Press Freedom and Right to Be Forgotten Clash in Challenge to Sandesara Gag Order
Financial journalist Sucheta Dalal, representing Moneylife, has challenged a sweeping gag order issued by a Delhi court that mandated the removal of online reports concerning the Sterling Biotech bank fraud case. The order, initially granted ex-parte to Manoj Sandesara, a promoter of the Sterling Group, required tech giants Google and Meta to de-index content labeling the family as fugitives or money launderers. Sandesara argued that such labels were defamatory following a Supreme Court settlement that ended criminal proceedings against the group after a Rs 5,100 crore deposit. However, Dalal’s appeal contends the order constitutes a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) and violates press freedom. The challenge highlights the tension between the right to be forgotten and journalistic integrity. District Judge Vinod Kumar Meena has issued notices to Google, Meta, and Sandesara, with the next hearing scheduled for April 29. The case raises significant legal questions regarding censorship, the permanence of digital records, and the limits of media freedom in India when dealing with settled financial disputes.
indianexpress