Essar files defamation suit against Greenpeace, others

The Essar Group has filed a Rs 500 crore defamation suit against Greenpeace India and others in the Bombay High Court.
The representatives of Greenpeace and other organisations, named in the suit, had on January 22 unfurled a 180-ft long banner allegedly containing defamatory content from the terrace of Essar House at Mahalaxmi in Central Mumbai.
Police and Fire Brigade detained the demonstrators and later released them on bail.
Besides Greenpeace, the other defendants are Clear Sweep and Mahan Sangharsh Samiti.
Clear Sweep had sought an appointment with Essar House to give a free demonstration of clearing the facade of the building. On the pretext of cleaning, the demonstrators entered the Essar building and hung the defamatory banner, the suit claimed.

Justice S J Kathawala of the High Court had restrained the defendants from entering Essar House or holding any demonstration/agitation on its property within the radius of 100 meters on Friday.
"I am prima facie satisfied that the defendants had conspired to enter the suit premises of the plaintiffs through misrepresentation and thereafter to unfurl the aforestated hoardings and banners and damage the image and reputation of the plaintiffs," said Justice Kathawala in his order.
"I am further satisfied that the defendants have even thereafter by holding demonstration outside the property of the plaintiff and showing leaflets containing defamatory material against the plaintiffs have tarnished the image, reputation and goodwill of the plaintiffs," he had said.