The court granted an interim injunction directing the removal of defamatory social media content alleging sexual misconduct to protect the plaintiff's reputation, while mandating compliance with Order XXXIX Rule 3 of the CPC.

O R D E R

IA No.20324/2026 (

Exemption from filing certified / original typed copies

of documents)

1. This application is disposed of with a direction to file the certified / original copies of documents sought to be relied upon within a period of two weeks from today.

IA No.20326/2026 (

seeking leave of the Court to file additional documents)

2. This application is disposed of with a direction to file additional documents within a period of two weeks from today.

CS(OS) 659/2026

3. Let the plaint be registered as suit.

4. On filing of process fee, summons be issued to the defendants by all permissible modes.

5. The summons shall indicate that written statement must be filed within thirty days from the date of receipt of summons. The defendants shall also file an affidavit of admission/ denial of the documents filed by the plaintiff, failing which the written statement shall not be taken on record.

6. The plaintiff is at liberty to file replication thereto within thirty days after filing of the written statement. The replication shall be accompanied by affidavit of admission/ denial in respect of the documents filed by the defendants, failing which the replication shall not be taken on record.

7. It is made clear that any unjustified denial of documents may lead to an order of costs against the concerned party.

8. Any party seeking inspection of documents may do so in accordance with the Delhi High Court (Original Side) Rules, 2018.

9. List before the Joint Registrar (Judicial) on 17.09.2026 for completion of service, pleadings, admission/ denial of documents and marking of exhibits.

10. List in Court on 13.01.2027.

IA No.20325/2026 (

interim injunction)

11. Issue notice to the defendants, on necessary steps being taken by the plaintiff, through all permissible modes, including electronically.

12. Let reply be filed within a period of four weeks from today. Rejoinder thereto, if any, be filed within a period of four weeks thereafter.

13. The plaintiff is a professional Indian Basketball player, who is curently a member of the senior Indian National Basketball team. He has represented India at various international events including FIBA U16 Asian Championship 2022.

14. The plaintiff’s case is that from July, 2026, the defendant no.1, a private individual residing in Singapore operating the Instagram handle, namely, @muskaanxt embarked on a sustained social media defamatory campaign publishing multiple posts, reels and stories on her instagram handle qua the plaintiff, making certain false and defamatory imputations. It is submitted that the said posts and stories have garnered thousands of views.

15. It is submitted that the impugned publications make false allegations against the petitioner, inter alia as regards sexual misconduct, harassment and predatory conduct towards minors against the plaintiff. The plaintiff submits that the contents of the posts / stories are per se defamatory.

16. Learned counsel for the plaintiff submits that the malicious nature of the actions of defendant no.1 is manifest from the nature of the virtual campaign that is being run by the defendant no.1 with fresh reels and stories being continuously published, designed to malign the image of the plaintiff.

17. The defendant no.1 is also stated to have expressly called upon her followers to tag basketball agencies to amplify the false and defamatory conduct.

18. It is pointed out that the instagram reels published by the defendant no.1 bearing the impugned per se defamatory content includes the following URLs:

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19. The specific instagram story publ