On Thursday, May 29, 2025, the Delhi High Court ordered YouTuber Mohak Mangal to take down parts of a video he posted that criticized Asian News International (ANI). The order came during a hearing for a defamation suit that ANI filed against Mangal. ANI claimed that Mangal's video contained defamatory language.
Justice Amit Bansal said that Mangal should have expressed his opinion in a more civilized way. He specifically pointed to Mangal's use of terms like "hafta wasooli" (extortion) and "gunda raj" (lawlessness). Justice Bansal stated, " 'Hafta wasooli', 'gunda raaj', You will take this down... Do it today. Whoever is using this kind of language, please take instructions."
The case stems from a video Mangal published on May 25, 2025. In the video, titled "Dear ANI", Mangal accused ANI of extortion and blackmail. He claimed that ANI initiated copyright strikes against his YouTube channel for using short clips from the news agency's videos. Mangal further alleged that an ANI representative demanded over ₹40 lakh to clear these copyright strikes. ANI has stated that Mangal openly admitted to using the news agency's copyrighted videos to earn revenue. ANI has alleged that the video was an attempt to discredit and insult the news agency and its services, which are provided under its registered trademarks.
ANI's counsel, Senior Advocate Amit Sibal, argued that Mangal's video was defamatory and inflammatory. He stated that Mangal started a media campaign against ANI that "spiraled into a concerted campaign which is nothing short of vilifying and per se defamatory. They are calling me a thug, extortionist, gunda." Sibal also referred to social media posts by comedian Kunal Kamra and AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair, who supported Mangal's position on ANI's alleged practices. ANI also claimed that Mangal misrepresented communications with ANI, including by using artificial intelligence tools, with the intent to target and malign the news agency and its employees. The suit submits that the video reflects a “calculated and malicious attack” on the reputation, credibility, and goodwill of ANI and also its registered trademarks.
Mangal's legal team, led by Senior Advocate Chander Lall, argued that ANI bypassed proper legal channels and was using threats. Lall stated, "If they have a grievance against me, they can't call me and extort money... that I will block your channel if you don't pay."
The court has allowed Mangal to re-upload the video after removing the objectionable parts, but only after sharing the revised version with ANI for review. Mangal's counsel agreed to take down the objectionable parts and submit a redline version (marked up to show the changes) of the edited video.
The court also addressed the social media posts by Kunal Kamra and Mohammed Zubair. The court directed Kamra to take down a tweet related to Mangal's video. Zubair's counsel submitted that Zubair was willing to take down his tweet, which the court accepted. ANI has sued Kamra and Zubair for amplifying Mangal's narrative.
ANI is seeking ₹2.10 crores in damages and a permanent injunction against Mangal, preventing him from using its trademarks and publishing further defamatory content.
