Delhi High Court summons Wikipedia in defamation suit by ANI
ANI sought the removal of what it claims is defamatory description of the news agency from a Wikipedia page about it and Rs 2 crore in damages.
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The Delhi High Court has issued summons to Wikipedia in a defamation case filed by ANI Media Private Limited, reported Bar and Bench.
Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia edited by volunteers. It is owned by the United States-based non-profit Wikimedia Foundation.
The news agency told the court that a Wikipedia page about it contained a defamatory description of ANI.
ANI’s petition seeks to have this text removed, in addition to Rs 2 crore in damages from Wikipedia.
ANI also contended that Wikipedia was not allowing its page to be edited. “They have closed my [ANI’s] page for editing by anyone and can only be edited through their representatives,” the news agency’s lawyer Sidhant Kumar told the court.
Kumar also contended that Wikipedia is a “pubic utility” and cannot “behave as a private actor”, reported Live Law.
Justice Navin Chawla verbally remarked, according to Live Law: “They’ll [Wikipedia] have to come and explain. It’s a pure case of defamation.”
Wikipedia has not commented on the matter so far.
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