The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to NDTV after Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani filed a defamation suit against the media house over its coverage of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate cases against his companies — the latest legal action by Ambani against a media organisation as investigations into alleged banking fraud at the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group intensify.
The defamation suit specifically targets NDTV’s reporting on the CBI and ED cases against Reliance group entities. By issuing notice, the Delhi High Court has formally admitted the suit for hearing and directed NDTV to file its response — the standard first step in civil defamation proceedings, which does not constitute any finding on the merits of the case.
The CBI and ED investigations that triggered the coverage
The backdrop to the lawsuit is a series of high-profile regulatory and enforcement actions against the Anil Ambani group. The CBI has filed cases against Anil Ambani and others, and has searched his office and residence in connection with a case involving Reliance Communications. The ED has also been investigating alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act and has attached assets worth Rs 1,120 crore from the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group as part of a money laundering probe.
In February 2026, the Supreme Court asked the CBI and ED to carry out a “fair and prompt” investigation into alleged banking fraud linked to ADAG and related companies, criticising the ED for what it called an “unexplained delay” in the investigation. The plea before the Supreme Court noted that between 2013 and 2017, companies including RCOM, Reliance Infratel and Reliance Telecom borrowed Rs 31,580 crore from banks led by SBI.
More recently, the Supreme Court rejected Anil Ambani’s plea against the fraud classification of bank accounts by three banks, allowing him only limited relief to pursue the challenge in the Bombay High Court.
Not the first time — Ambani vs media
This is not the first time Anil Ambani has used defamation litigation against a media organisation. In 2018, the Reliance Group filed a civil defamation case seeking Rs 10,000 crore against NDTV over its coverage of the Rafale jet deal, in which Reliance was named as a partner with a French company. NDTV at the time described the complaint as “a heavy-handed attempt by Anil Ambani’s group to suppress the facts and prevent the media from doing its job.” Ambani also filed a defamation suit against Republic TV and its editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in the Bombay High Court.
The pattern of filing defamation cases against media organisations covering regulatory investigations has drawn criticism from press freedom groups, who have characterised such suits as strategic litigation intended to chill journalism rather than seek genuine legal remedy.
NDTV has not issued a public statement on the latest suit at the time of publication. The case is now before the Delhi High Court, which will hear NDTV’s response before deciding on any interim relief or further proceedings.