Former Tihar Jail Officer Seeks Injunction Against Book's Publication for Defamatory Claims
The Delhi High Court has issued summons in a defamation suit filed by L.P. Nirmal, a former distinguished officer, against the publication of the book titled "Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer." The plaintiff contends that the book contains defamatory content, falsely accusing him of negligence during his tenure as Deputy Superintendent of Jail No. 4 at Tihar Jail, which allegedly led to the escape of inmates.
Justice Subramonium Prasad, presiding over the case, heard the plaintiff's request for a permanent injunction to restrain the defendants from publishing or distributing the book. The plaintiff alleges that the claims made in the book are baseless and have harmed his reputation, asserting that no such escape incident occurred and no departmental inquiry was initiated against him.
The plaintiff's legal team, led by Senior Advocate Mr. Samrat Nigam, argued that the publication of the book has caused irreparable damage to the plaintiff's goodwill and reputation. They sought several reliefs, including the permanent removal of the defamatory content from all platforms, an injunction against further publication, and an inquiry into the revenue generated by the defendants from the book.
The court has registered the plaint as a suit and issued summons to the defendants through all permissible modes. It has directed the defendants to file their written statements along with affidavits of admission or denial of the plaintiff's documents within the stipulated time frame as per the Delhi High Court (Original Side) Rules, 2018. A hearing before the learned Joint Registrar has been scheduled for August 24, 2026.
Additionally, the plaintiff filed an application under Order XXXIX Rule 1 & 2 of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908, seeking an ex-parte ad-interim injunction to prevent the defendants from creating any third-party interest in the suit property. The court has issued notice to the defendants regarding this application, with instructions to file their replies within four weeks of receiving the notice.
The case highlights the ongoing legal battle between the plaintiff and the authors of "Black Warrant," as the court deliberates on the balance between freedom of expression and protection of individual reputation.
Bottom line:-
Defamation suit filed by a distinguished officer against defamatory content in a book titled "Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer," alleging false accusations that harmed his reputation.
Statutory provision(s): Civil Procedure Code, 1908 Order XXXIX Rule 1 & 2
L.P. Nirmal v. Sunil Gupta, (Delhi) : Law Finder Doc id # 2919718
