Justice MK Thakker granted Adani Enterprises more time to respond to Nair’s petition and posted the matter for Wednesday.
On February 10, a magistrate court in Gandhinagar convicted Nair and sentenced him to imprisonment for one year.
Nair challenged his conviction in an appellate court in Gandhinagar, which granted him bail on March 9.
On Monday, the advocate for Adani Enterprises, sought more time to put on record “certain facts that may go against Nair”, reported Bar and Bench.
Amnesty international is concerned by the arrest of Ravi Nair while his appeal is pending before the Gujarat High Court in a case of criminal defamation.
The Gujarat High Court on Monday adjourned journalist Ravi Nair’s petition seeking release from judicial custody in a criminal defamation case filed by Adani Enterprises Limited about a series of posts on social media platform X, reported Bar and Bench.
Justice MK Thakker granted Adani Enterprises more time to respond to Nair’s petition and posted the matter for Wednesday.
Nair was taken into custody on September 17 and sent to jail on orders of a Gandhinagar court, which had issued a non-bailable warrant against him earlier this month for failing to appear in person for a hearing in the defamation case, PTI reported.
The case pertains to a series of tweets posted by Nair from October 2020 to July 2021 about the Adani Group, including allegations by US short seller Hindenburg Research and a strike against the proposed privatisation of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.
On February 10, a magistrate court in Gandhinagar convicted Nair and sentenced him to imprisonment for one year.
The magistrate had said that Nair, as a journalist and public commentator, was expected to be conscious of the reach and impact of the statements made on digital platforms, especially when making categorical allegations that could affect reputations.
Nair challenged his conviction in an appellate court in Gandhinagar, which granted him bail on March 9. The court had directed him to remain present during the hearing of his appeal.
Nair was not present for the hearing on September 3, his lawyer was quoted as saying by PTI. The court subsequently issued a non-bailable warrant against him.
On Monday, the advocate for Adani Enterprises, sought more time to put on record “certain facts that may go against Nair”, reported Bar and Bench.
Opposing this, the journalist’s lawyer asked why Nair should “spend even one day in jail”.
However, the court said that “when the complainant is represented on issuance of notice, a fair opportunity is required to be given”.
The case is based on a complaint filed by Adani Enterprises, the flagship company of industrialist Gautam Adani’s Adani Group, alleging that Nair published and disseminated a series of posts on the social media platform X containing false and defamatory statements intended to damage its reputation.
The company alleged that Nair’s posts did not amount to fair comment or legitimate criticism but were designed to undermine the credibility of the firm in the eyes of the public and investors.
Amnesty international is concerned by the arrest of Ravi Nair while his appeal is pending before the Gujarat High Court in a case of criminal defamation. It poses serious questions around people's freedom of expression and fair trial rights in the country. https://t.co/yRk8tndSDd — Amnesty India (@AIIndia) September 22, 2026
On Tuesday, Amnesty International raised concerns about Nair’s arrest while his appeal against the conviction is pending. “It poses serious questions around people’s freedom of expression and fair trial rights in the country,” the organisation said in a social media post.
Edited by Sara Varghese.
