Delhi High Court rejects contempt plea against magazine that refused to delete report on Anant Ambani's Vantara

The Delhi High Court recently dismissed a contempt petition filed against news portal Himal Southasian and its editor, Roman Gautam over their refusal to take down a report that raised questions on how elephants were transferred to Anant Ambani's Vantara wildlife conservation park [Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre Society & Anr v. Himal Southasian & Ors.],.Justice Anish Dayal observed that there is no wilful disobedience by Himal Southasian of any court order to proceed against it for contempt of court. The judge explained that no orders have been passed for a takedown of Himal Southasian's article, even if the article had been criticised by the Court earlier in certain respects. “After having perused the petition and hearing the submission of the parties, the Court is of the opinion that these circumstances do not provide a cause of action for the petitioner to file a contempt petition, since there is no direction of which wilful disobedience can be alleged,” Justice Dayal held, while dismissing the contempt petition on May 19. .The case concerned a report titled ‘The costs of Reliance’s wildlife ambitions’ published on Himal Southasian in March 2024, in which questions were raised about the manner in which rescue animals were taken to Vantara. The report stated that the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust and Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, with government involvement, had gathered several endangered species and even healthy animals, not just rescued animals, at Vantara. .The matter was tied to another plea filed last year by a lawyer named Rahul Narula, who had raised concerns that the conduct of the Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant wedding at Reliance Greens could harm animals in the area. The High Court dismissed this plea in February 2024, on finding it was filed on only apprehensions. However, it added that a High-Powered Committee (HPC) tasked with examining complaints about animal organisations could be present at the location to oversee the event and take precautions to ensure no inhumane behaviour is caused to the animals. Later, Narula filed a contempt petition in the matter, alleging that there was ill-treatment of animals during the wedding festivities. This too was dismissed by the Court in August 2024.Notably, in this contempt petition, Narula had also cited the Himal Southasian report on Anant Ambani's Vantara. In the order passed in August, the High Court criticised the report as having “all the trappings of sensationalism." The High Court also expressed disapproval that the report had made unsavoury allegations against the HPC, in bad taste..The Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust and the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre contended that when the High Court criticised the Himal Southasian report in such terms, there was an implied expectation that the portal would delete its report. Since this was not done, the trust and the zoo filed a contempt of court petition against Himal Southasian and its editor. .On May 19, however, the High Court dismissed this contempt petition on finding that there was no order to delete the Himal Southasian report. "A perusal of the said order does not indicate any directions issued against respondent nos.1 and 2 (Himal Southasian and its editor), wilful disobedience of which can be agitated in a contempt petition. Accordingly, this contempt petition stands dismissed along with the pending application," the Court stated. .Advocate Adhish Srivastava appeared for the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust and the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre.Advocates Vrinda Grover, Devika Tulsiani and Soutik Banerjee appeared for Himal Southasian and Roman Gautam.Central Government standing counsel Vineet Dhanda, Panel Counsel Chetan Jadon with Advocates Vansh Jadon, Hemlata Singh and Shivangi Rajawat appeared for the Union of India. .[Read order]