Salman Khan Gets Interim Relief As Mumbai Court Bars Abhinav Kashyap From Publishing Defamatory Content
Pranav B Prem
A City Civil Court in Mumbai has granted ad-interim relief to Bollywood actor Salman Khan, restraining filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap and persons associated with a YouTube channel from making, publishing or circulating any defamatory statements against the actor and his family on social media or other platforms. The order was passed on January 30, 2026, by Justice P. G. Bhosale of the City Civil Court, Mumbai, in a defamation suit instituted by Khan seeking compensation, damages and permanent injunction against Kashyap, as well as against the owners and hosts of the YouTube channel Bollywood Thikana, namely Komal Mehru and Khushboo Hazare.
The suit arose after Khan approached the court urgently, alleging that Kashyap had made objectionable, abusive and defamatory remarks against him and his family during an interview aired on the YouTube channel. Khan contended that the statements were deliberately made to malign his reputation and had been widely circulated across digital platforms, thereby causing irreparable harm to his public image.
After perusing the impugned statements and the material placed on record, the Court prima facie found merit in Khan’s grievance. Justice Bhosale observed that the statements made by Kashyap were “defamatory, derogatory, abusive and insulting in nature” and that they had the effect of lowering the image of the plaintiff in the eyes of the general public. The Court noted that the reputation of the plaintiff was prima facie harmed by the acts of defendants nos. 1 to 3.
Rejecting the defence that the statements were protected by the right to freedom of speech and expression, the Court held that such a right cannot be stretched to justify defamatory or abusive remarks. The Court observed that “each individual has his privacy to be protected and image to be protected,” and clarified that the right to freedom of speech and expression does not permit the use of abusive or threatening language against any individual or their family.
In its ad-interim order, the Court further emphasised the limits of free speech, stating that “nobody can make and nobody should make defamatory statements against the family of anybody.” Holding that the case warranted immediate protection, the Court described it as a fit case for passing ad-interim ex parte orders.
Accordingly, the Court temporarily restrained Abhinav Kashyap, Komal Mehru and Khushboo Hazare from making, uploading, posting, re-posting, giving interviews, corresponding, communicating, printing, publishing, re-publishing, hosting, circulating or re-circulating any further defamatory or slanderous content, remarks, messages, tweets, videos, interviews or communications concerning Salman Khan or his family on any social media platform, until their appearance and filing of replies to the notice of motion. The Court also directed the plaintiff to communicate the order to all the defendants.
The Court noted that Khan has sought a permanent injunction restraining the defendants from continuing or repeating such acts in any manner in the future, along with other consequential reliefs. The matter will now proceed in accordance with law after the defendants enter appearance and file their responses.
On the appearance side, Advocates P. D. Gandhy, Parag Khandhar, Chandrima Mitra, Tapan Radkar and Zara Dhanbhoora, instructed by DSK Legal, represented Salman Khan. Advocates Parth Jain, Ansh Agal, Aditi Pareek and Pranali Mitbhaokar, instructed by Jain Law Partners LLP, appeared for Abhinav Kashyap, Komal Mehru and Khushboo Hazare. Advocates Amishí Sodani and Charu Shukla appeared for Google LLC, while Advocates Rishabh Jaisani, Richa Bharti and Abhishek Mookherjee, instructed by Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, appeared for Meta Platforms Inc.
Cause Title: Salman Khan vs Abhinav Kashyap
