ANI files defamation suit against YouTuber Mohak Mangal for his ‘extortion’ claim, Kunal Kamra and Mohammad Zubair also added as defendants for spreading the video
Asian News International (ANI) has filed a defamation suit against YouTuber Mohak Mangal in the Delhi High Court alleging that he made false and defamatory accusations against the news agency in a recent video. Controversial comedian Kunal Kamra and Alt-News co-founder Mohammad Zubair have been impleaded as defendants in the suit.
Why the defamation suit is filed
The defamation suit stemmed from a video published by Mangal in which he accused ANI of demanding ₹50 lakh from him in exchange for removing copyright strikes from his channel. The YouTuber, who has over 4 million subscribers, had allegedly used some copyrighted ANI clips in his videos on the Kolkata rape case and Operation Sindoor which attracted the copyright strikes. Mangal later made a video alleging that an ANI representative reached out to him and demanded money for removing the copyright strikes against his channel.
Kunal Kamra and Mohammad Zubair shared Mangal’s video on their social media accounts, and therefore they have been added in the defamation suit as defendants.
In the suit, ANI has alleged that the video made by Mangal claiming extortion, is an attempt to discredit and insult the news agency and its services provided under its registered trademark. It further claimed that the video spreads falsehoods to damage its reputation, discourages use of its services and misuses its registered trademarks with defamatory commentary. ANI added that Mangal opendly admitted to using ANI’s original videos to earn revenue.
ANI seeks injunction against Kamra and Zubair
Regarding the other defendants, Kamra and Zubair, the suit states, “In addition to widely sharing the Impugned Video, these Defendants have independently published further false, baseless, and malicious statements targeting the Plaintiff and its founders. These statements are devoid of any factual or legal foundation and are clearly intended to malign the Plaintiff’s reputation and lower its estimation in the eyes of the public.”
The ANI has sought a permanent and mandatory injuction against Mangal, including directions to take down the video, stop using its trademarks and refrain from publishing or circulating any further false, misleading or defamatory content against ANI and its trademarks. It also prayed for a restraining order against Kamra and Zubair and others to prevent them from making or sharing defamatory and false statements about the news agency.
The suit has been filed through Advocate Akshit Mago and scheduled to be heard on 29th May.
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