Delhi Court Grants Interim Relief To 'Guruji Ka Ashram' Trust In Defamation Case

New Delhi: A district court in Delhi's Saket has passed an ad-interim ex parte order in favour of Guruji Ka Ashram Trust, directing a YouTube channel, YouTube, and Google to immediately take down a video alleged to be defamatory. The order also restrained them from re-uploading or sharing the same content while the case is pending. Additionally, the court has extended the injunction to unknown persons (referred to as “John Doe”), prohibiting them from posting, publishing, or circulating any defamatory content against ‘Guruji’ or the Trust.

According to information, the case was filed by Guruji Ka Ashram Trust, represented by law firm Karanjawala & Co., seeking a permanent injunction and damages over a video uploaded by a YouTube channel. The trust claimed that the video contained statements that could harm the reputation of Guruji, a spiritual teacher followed by lakhs of devotees in India and abroad. According to the trust, Guruji is considered by his devotees to be an incarnation of ‘Lord Shiva’ and is respected for his spiritual teachings, humanitarian work, and service. They asserted that any false or misleading content about him affects not only his reputation but also the sentiments of his followers and the legacy of the trust.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Sandeep Kapur, appearing for the trust, argued that the video used language that was intended to malign Guruji and his global following. He further submitted that defamatory content about Guruji is repeatedly uploaded on digital platforms, and by the time corrective action is taken, such videos often gain lakhs of views, causing damage that cannot easily be undone. He stressed the need for urgent preventive relief to stop the rapid and widespread circulation of such material.

The court, after a prima facie review of the material presented, observed that the content in question appeared to be defamatory and could harm Guruji’s reputation. The district court noted that immediate judicial intervention was necessary to prevent further dissemination. Accepting the submissions made by the trust’s legal team, the court granted the ad-interim ex parte injunction as requested.

The trust’s legal team included Senior Advocate Sandeep Kapur, Manmeet Kaur, and Advocates Gurtejpal Singh, Rose Verma, Saurav Mishra, Jai Dogra, and Saurabh Jha.

The legal experts asserted that by extending the injunction to unknown persons, the court has taken a step to address not only identified sources but also possible future attempts to spread similar content. The matter will continue to be heard as the court examines the claims in detail.