Court orders removal of defamatory video against Isha Foundation and Sadhguru

The order followed a defamation suit filed by Isha Foundation. The court instructed Google LLC, X Corp, and Meta platforms to take down the video titled “Sadhguru EXPOSED: What’s happening in Jaggi Vasudev’s Ashram,” which accused the foundation of exploiting minors.

Before uploading the video, he published tweets and posts to promote the same, the court said.

“Till now more than 9 lakh views have already been garnered on the said video and more than 13,500 comments have been received. What is more interesting is that the title of the video is ‘Sadhguru EXPOSED: What’s happening in Jaggi Vasudev’s Ashram?’”

The order added, “The title is a clickbait and this court is of prima facie opinion that the said title has been given only to attract attention.”

While restraining Singh from publishing further, the court ordered the social media platforms to bring down the defamatory video and all content emanating from it.

Isha Foundation’s counsel said the video uploaded on February 24 showed Singh make “false, reckless, baseless and per se defamatory” allegations against the trust, including sexual abuse against children, without any basis.

He argued Singh claimed the basis of his video were certain emails sent by persons associated with the Foundation, but their veracity was not authenticated.

'Fabricated and false'

“We said the emails were fabricated and false. Reputation built over decades can’t be dismantled like this,” the counsel said.

In its interim order, the Justice Prasad-led bench emphasized that the video’s content was “per se defamatory” and had a direct impact on the reputation of Sadhguru and Isha Foundation.