HC restrains internet providers from posting libellous content

The Delhi High Court today restrained three internet service providers, from whose IP addresses several e-mails containing defamatory and threatening content were sent to senior officials of Tata Sons, from posting or publishing any libellous material.
The slanderous e-mails were sent to the top honchos of Tata Sons, the holding company of Tata group, Tata Motors Insurance Broking and Advisory Services Ltd and its CEO.
In an ex-parte order, Justice R S Endlaw directed internet firms M/s Alliance Broadband Services Pvt Ltd, M/s G C Link Pvt Ltd and M/s Pyne Cable Systems to provide in sealed cover the identities of 35 entities or persons, who are registered with them and are allegedly sending derogatory mails to Tata group officials, including the CEO of Tata Motors Insurance Broking and Advisory Services Ltd Tarun Samant.

The judge also noted the allegation that those e-mail IDs were not only used for forwarding those mails to all top officials of the Tata group but also to the Prime Minister of India as well as Ministers and dignitaries overseas such as the Prime Minister of UK, the Chairman of the European Union, the Commerce and Industries Minister of UK etc.
The high court also issued summonses to the three companies and posted the matter for further hearing on January 27 next year.
Tata Sons Ltd, Tata Motors Insurance Broking and Advisory Services Ltd and its CEO had approached the high court seeking to restrain these broadband service providers from "making, publishing, distributing, posting, repeating and/or republishing any defamatory, libellous and disparaging material by any media with respect to the plaintiffs in any manner whatsoever".

They have also claimed damages of Rs five crore.