The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued summons to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in a defamation lawsuit filed by the Indian National Congress. The suit alleges that Goswami falsely claimed the Istanbul Congress Centre in Turkiye serves as an overseas office for the political party.
Justice Mini Pushkarna, while registering the plaint as a suit, declined to pass an ad-interim injunction to take down the content at this stage. The court noted that the broadcast in question dates back to May 2025 and scheduled the next hearing for May 19.
The legal battle stems from a broadcast aired on May 15, 2025. According to the Congress party, the defendant made a “fabricated claim” identifying the Istanbul Congress Centre—a well-known international convention venue—as an official wing of the Indian National Congress.
The party contended that these claims were made against the sensitive backdrop of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, aiming to create a malicious narrative. The Congress further linked the broadcast to a broader pattern of misinformation, noting that a similar complaint had been filed by the Indian Youth Congress’s legal cell head, Shrikant Swaroop B N, against both Goswami and BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya in Bengaluru. That specific investigation, however, was recently stayed by the Karnataka High Court.
During the proceedings, counsel for the Congress party pressed for an immediate stay on the content, arguing that the “offending content continues to do damage” to the party’s reputation.
“People are still talking about it. They have admitted it is false,” the counsel submitted, emphasizing that despite the passage of time since the original air date, the digital footprint of the broadcast continues to mislead the public.
However, Justice Pushkarna pointed out the delay in seeking the injunction. “Let’s see. May 15, 2025, was the broadcast… I will give you a short date,” the judge remarked, opting to hear the defendant’s version before passing any restrictive orders.
The High Court has directed Arnab Goswami to file a written response to the plea for interim relief within four weeks.
The lawsuit highlights that the claims were particularly damaging given the “volatile backdrop of strained relations between India and Turkey,” suggesting the broadcast sought to imply a controversial connection between the political party and a foreign state perceived to support Pakistan.
The matter is now listed for further hearing on May 19, where the court will consider the merits of the interim injunction application.
