Delhi High Court restrains ex-ICICI Bank employee from making defamatory statements against bank

The Delhi High Court on Thursday passed an interim order to restrain a former probationary employee of ICICI Bank from making or disseminating defamatory statements, posts, or videos against the bank [Kapil Dev Singh & ICICI Bank Vs Dharmendra Gupta]..Justice Amit Bansal passed the order on August 14 in a suit filed by ICICI Bank and one Kapil Dev Singh (plaintiffs) against the former employee, Dharmendra Gupta. The plaintiffs alleged that Gupta had been posting abusive and derogatory statements about the bank on social media following the termination of his employment. They urged the Court to restrain Gupta from making any such statement. .According to the plaintiffs, Gupta joined ICICI Bank as a Relationship Manager on May 11, 2022, on probation. His services were terminated on June 6, 2023, during the probation period. The bank alleged that after his termination, Gupta uploaded over 100 videos on various social media platforms making defamatory statements against it.It was further claimed that Gupta initiated conciliation proceedings under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, to settle the dispute. However, during a session on May 15, 2025, he allegedly made abusive remarks against bank's employees. These remarks, the plaintiffs said, were subsequently posted online. A pen drive containing screen recordings of the conciliatory proceedings was placed on record before the High Court..The Court noted that Gupta (defendant) had been served notice of the suit against him in advance but did not appear.Observing that ICICI Bank is a reputed financial institution and that the statements and social media posts were intended to harm its reputation, Justice Bansal found a prima facie case in favour of the plaintiffs to grant them interim relief. The judge added that irreparable harm and injury may be caused to the plaintiffs if Gupta continues to make defamatory statements. Therefore, the Court passed an order restraining Gupta from making, addressing, publishing, distributing, posting, tweeting, sharing, circulating, uploading or otherwise disseminating any abusive, derogatory, or disparaging videos, posts or other content against the plaintiffs till the next date of hearing. Gupta has also been similarly restrained from disseminating any audio and/or video recordings of any quasi-judicial or judicial proceedings involving either of the plaintiffs.The case will be taken up before the Joint Registrar on October 9, 2025, for completion of service and pleadings.The High Court will hear the matter next on January 15, 2026..The plaintiffs were represented by Advocates Samudra Sarangi, Riya Kalra, Paritosh Tengshe and Panchi Agarwal from Panag & Babu. .[Read Order]