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Informist, Thursday, Sep 5, 2024

 

NEW DELHI – The Delhi High Court today issued a contempt notice to Wikimedia Foundation Inc, which hosts the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia, for not complying with its earlier order to give ANI Media Pvt Ltd the subscriber details of the three people who had allegedly made "defamatory" edits to Wikipedia's web page on the news agency, referring to it as a "propaganda tool" for the current government. On Aug 20, the high court had asked Wikimedia Foundation to give the details to ANI within two weeks for the latter to take steps for service of summons and notice to them.

 

The counsel appearing for Wikimedia Foundation said they had to make some arguments regarding the high court's order, and they took time to appear before the court as Wikimedia is not based in India. Justice Navin Chawla said Wikimedia's arguments have been heard by the court earlier as well in different cases and been rejected. "I will impose contempt... It is not a question of Defendant No. 1 not being an entity in India. We will close your business transactions here. We will ask the government to block Wikipedia... Earlier also, you people have taken this argument. If you don't like India, please don't work in India," Justice Chawla said. The court will next hear the matter in October.

 

The high court was hearing a defamation suit filed by ANI Media against Wikipedia and its host Wikimedia Foundation over the alleged defamatory description of the news agency. ANI had sought to restrain Wikipedia from putting defamatory content against it on its platform and remove the same. ANI is seeking damages of 20 mln rupees from the US non-profit organisation. On Aug 20, Wikimedia Foundation said it had no connection with the three people who had made edits to the Wikipedia page on ANI Media.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Namrata Rao

 

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