Why Tibrewala Filed Injunction Naming TICE and Media Outlets

Hari Shankar Tibrewala has issued legal notices to several media outlets, including TICE News, accusing them of defamation and misreporting in connection with an ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into the Mahadev Online Book betting network

These legal notices claim that media reports have included unverified allegations of money laundering, illegal betting, and other financial crimes, potentially damaging Tibrewala's reputation

Tibrewala's legal team has filed an injunction in the Dwarka court, seeking the removal or redaction of allegedly defamatory content, and an immediate halt to further publication of similar stories

Nine media organizations, including Moneycontrol and Business Standard, have been named in the injunction petition, accused of publishing speculative content about Tibrewala's business dealings

TICE News Editor Manoj Singh questions the strategy behind the legal notices, suggesting they may be an attempt to influence media coverage and gain procedural leverage in the ongoing investigation

Notably, larger media outlets have not been included in the legal action, raising questions about the selective targeting of smaller publications

Tibrewala is reportedly linked to several Dubai-based entities involved in investing illicit funds into Indian listed companies, as alleged by the ED

The ED’s investigation has led to actions like freezing securities and attaching assets connected to Tibrewala, although no final legal verdict has been reported yet

The legal notices appear to be a strategic move to manage Tibrewala's public narrative amid ongoing ED actions and to challenge perceived misreporting

The case is pending in the Dwarka court, with potential impacts on media coverage and the balance between press freedom and individual reputation rights in financial-crime investigations