The Calcutta High Court on October 26 ordered social media platforms to remove The Friendship Files: How Modi and Adani Stole India following a defamation suit filed by Adani Enterprises Limited against entrepreneur Sabeer Bhatia and others.

Justice Aryak Dutt issued an interim injunction restricting the publication and sharing of the documentary, its specified clips and substantially identical copies until January 31, 2027, or further orders. YouTube, X and Instagram must block access to the identified content and preserve relevant digital records.

The documentary, uploaded by Bhatia in collaboration with the Shadow Citizens channel on October 9, discusses the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and industrialist Gautam Adani. Adani Enterprises alleged that it contained false claims, omitted relevant facts and harmed the company's reputation.

According to Bar and Bench, the documentary included allegations related to narcotics smuggling, terror funding and the treatment of a farmer. The court observed that the claims examined during the proceedings were not supported by the authorities cited. The company argued that the right to reputation falls under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The court directed the platforms to disable access to specified URLs and related reposts. It also ordered them to preserve account details, subscriber information, IP logs and access records. The platforms must submit identifying information about certain account holders in a sealed cover. The respondents have four weeks from receiving the petition to file their replies.

The legal action follows earlier efforts to restrict the documentary's circulation. Hindustan Times reported that Mumbai Police issued notices to 24 X accounts that shared the video, asking the platform to review the posts. The notices followed a complaint alleging that the content was false, misleading and damaging to a company's reputation.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray also removed the documentary from his social media accounts following a request conveyed through Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti. However, he maintained that he would continue raising concerns about monopolies and the concentration of economic power.

Justice Dutt clarified that the injunction does not prohibit constructive criticism or fair reporting about Adani, the Adani Group or government policies, provided such coverage does not use the disputed documentary, its reproductions or the allegedly defamatory statements identified in the case.

The interim order does not constitute a final decision on the defamation allegations. The matter is expected to return before the regular bench in January.