$~30 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + CS(COMM) 178/2026 DR ANIRUDDHA DHAIRYADHAR JOSHI THROUGH POWER OF ATTORNEY HOLDER .....Plaintiff Through: Mr. Rajshekhar Rao, Senior Advocate with Mr. R. Sudhinder, Ms. Ekta Bhasin, Mr. Anand Ankit and Mr. Harshil, Advocates.

versus JOHN DOES ASHOK KUMARS & ORS. .....Defendants Through: Mr. Dhananjay Rana, CGSC for UOI.

Mr. Aditya Gupta and Ms. Vani Kaushik, Advocates for D-4.

Mr. Varun Pathak and Mr. Yash Karunakaran, Advocates for D-5.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TUSHAR RAO GEDELA

O R D E R

% 24.02.2026 I.A. 5045/2026 (For discovery and disclosure)

1. This is an application filed on behalf of the plaintiff under Order XI Rules 1, 3 and 5 read with Section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (‘CPC’) for discovery and disclosure alongwith supporting affidavit.

2. Issue notice.

3. Reply be filed within four weeks from the date of service. Rejoinder thereto be filed within two weeks thereafter.

I.A. 5046/2026 (Additional Documents)

4. The present application has been filed on behalf of the plaintiff under Order XI Rule 1(4) of the CPC as applicable to commercial suits under the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 (‘CC Act’) seeking leave to place on record additional documents.

5. The plaintiff is permitted to file additional documents in accordance with the provisions of the CC Act and the Delhi High Court (Original Side)

Rules, 2018.

6. Accordingly, the application stands disposed of.

I.A. 5047/2026 (Exemption from filing original copy of records and documents)

7. This is an application filed on behalf of the plaintiff under Section 151 of CPC seeking exemption from filing original electronic records at the present stage.

8. Exemption allowed, subject to just exceptions. However, original electronic records be filed within four weeks with an advance copy to the defendant accompanied by an appropriate affidavit as per law.

9. The application stands disposed of.

I.A. 5048/2026 (Exemption from pre-institution mediation)

10. This is an application filed by the plaintiff seeking exemption from instituting pre-litigation mediation under Section 12A of the CC Act.

11. As the present matter contemplates urgent interim relief, in light of the judgment of the Supreme Court in Yamini Manohar vs. T.K.D. Keerthi: (2024) 5 SCC 815, exemption from the requirement of pre-institution mediation is granted.

12. The application stands disposed of.

I.A. 5049/2026 (Exemption from advance notice to D2 & D3)

13. This is an application under Section 80(2) read with Section 151 of CPC, filed on behalf of the plaintiff seeking exemption from service of advance notice defendant nos.2 and 3, namely, Department of Telecommunications, through Secretary, Ministry of Communications and IT and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, through the Director General (DIT) respectively.

14. Since Mr. Dhananjay Rana, learned CGSC has entered appearance and accepts notice on behalf of defendant nos.2 and 3, the application is rendered infructuous.

15. The application is disposed of as infructuous.

I.A. 5044/2026 (OXXXIX R1 & 2, CPC)

16. This is an application under Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2, CPC seeking ex-parte ad-interim injunction against the defendants.

17. It is stated that the plaintiff i.e., Dr. Aniruddha Dhairyadhar Joshi is a renowned social, cultural and spiritual leader, as also an author and executive editor of Marathi Daily - Pratyaksha and is fondly revered as ‘Sadguru Shree Aniruddha Bapu’, ‘Sadguru Aniruddha Bapu’, ‘Sadguru Shree Aniruddha’ and/or ‘Aniruddha Bapu’ by his millions of followers. He claims to be a qualified Doctor, M.D. Medicine and a Consulting Rheumatologist in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is claimed that the plaintiff is a Vedic Hindu, a bhakta of Dattaguru and Maa Jagadamba and is widely revered as a spiritual leader known for his deep spiritual knowledge and humanitarian outlook.

18. The plaintiff claims to have been regularly delivering religious discourses (Pravachans) since August, 1995 in Mumbai on a wide rang