‘Remove posts in 5 hrs’: High Court raps Abhijit Iyer-Mitra for offensive language on women scribes

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 21 May, rapped commentator Abhijit Iyer Mitra for his alleged defamatory and abusive social media posts against nine women journalists of media house Newslaundry and asked him to remove the posts within five hours.

"Such a language and words are not permissible in a civilised society. First you remove the posts, then we will hear you," Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav told Mitra's counsel, who sought to defend the posts.

The court was hearing a plea by nine women journalists who work with Newslaundry and sought an injunction and damages of Rs 2 crore from Mitra for his "defamatory, false, malicious and unsubstantiated allegations" published on X.

He had also used "derogatory terms and slurs" against the women journalists as well as their organisation, it said.

Mitra's counsel said the words used in the posts were not correct and agreed to take down the posts.

The court posted the matter on 26 May.