In a significant development, the Delhi High Court came down heavily on commentator Abhijit Iyer Mitra over his derogatory tweets targeting nine women employees of the media platform Newslaundry. The court, while hearing a defamation case filed by the women, observed that Iyer’s posts—made on social media platform X—were “not permissible in a civilised society.” The plaintiffs accused him of using sexually abusive language and making defamatory remarks that damaged their professional reputations. In response, Iyer’s counsel informed the court that the objectionable posts would be removed within five hours, and Iyer himself later posted on X acknowledging the court’s order, stating he was “complying” out of “deference” to the judiciary.
The defamation suit, filed by Advocates Uddhav Khanna and Dhruva Vig, demands ₹2 crore in damages and a public apology from Iyer. It alleges that Iyer’s tweets used slurs such as “prostitute” and equated their workplace to a “brothel,” further describing Newslaundry’s subscribers with similar dehumanizing language. The plaintiffs argued that such language goes beyond criticism and constitutes a direct assault on their dignity and right to a harassment-free workspace. They stressed that the use of the term “prostitute” as an insult not only demeans women journalists but also stigmatizes sex workers, who themselves deserve respect and human rights. The plea argued that no profession should be weaponized to humiliate, and no woman deserves to be dehumanized.
The legal action further asserts that Iyer’s posts cannot be shielded by claims of free speech or journalistic satire, as they were calculated attacks meant to insult and intimidate. The plaintiffs emphasized that while critical scrutiny of media is welcome, personal abuse crosses a red line. Notably, this controversy follows another recent case where Iyer received a legal notice from Turkish ground handling firm Celebi Airport Services for allegedly spreading false and inflammatory claims linking the company to Turkish President Erdogan’s family and to Pakistan’s defense sector—claims Celebi strongly denied. The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the Newslaundry defamation case again next week for further proceedings.
