February 11, 2026
An Indian court has sentenced investigative journalist Ravi Nair to one year in prison in a criminal defamation case related to his reporting and social media commentary on the Adani Group.
On February 10, a magistrate court in Gujarat convicted Nair over posts published between October 2020 and July 2021 on the social media platform X, as well as articles linked to the Australia-based investigative website Adani Watch. In addition to the jail term, the court imposed a fine of 5,000 rupees.
The case was initiated by Adani Enterprises Limited, the flagship company of the Adani Group, owned by billionaire Gautam Adani. The conglomerate has previously faced allegations of financial irregularities and environmental compliance concerns, which it has consistently denied.
Court documents indicate that Nair’s posts cited reports from established publications including The Times of India and Bloomberg, alongside his own commentary questioning government policies and the company’s business practices. The court ruled that the statements amounted to criminal defamation and were made with awareness of their potential impact on the company’s reputation.
Under India’s criminal defamation laws, individuals can face imprisonment if found guilty. Such cases are typically initiated through private complaints filed directly in court.
The verdict comes amid growing concerns over the use of civil and criminal defamation laws in India to challenge journalists reporting on powerful corporate and political actors. In September, Nair was among several independent journalists barred from publishing content deemed defamatory toward the Adani Group.
According to his legal counsel, Nair has 30 days to appeal the conviction.
The sentencing has renewed debate about the implications of criminal defamation provisions for investigative journalism and freedom of expression in India.