The Gujarat High Court has closed journalist Ravi Nair’s challenge to a non-bailable warrant issued against him in a criminal defamation case filed by Adani Enterprises Ltd, after taking note that the Gandhinagar Sessions Court had subsequently granted him regular bail.
Justice M.K. Thakker was hearing Nair’s petition challenging the orders of the Sessions Court under which the non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against him was allowed to remain in force and he was directed to be taken into custody.
The proceedings arose from a criminal defamation complaint filed by Adani Enterprises, alleging that Nair had published and circulated a series of social media posts containing statements that were false and defamatory and were intended to harm the reputation of the company and the Adani Group.
Nair had earlier been convicted by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Mansa, on February 10, 2026, for defamation and sentenced to one year of simple imprisonment along with a fine of ₹5,000. He challenged the conviction before the Sessions Court.
On March 9, the Gandhinagar Sessions Court suspended the sentence and released Nair on bail pending the appeal. The subsequent proceedings, however, led to the issuance of an NBW after the appellate court rejected his request for exemption from personal appearance.
The Sessions Court, on September 3, had also recorded a finding that Nair was an absconder and was avoiding arrest. His challenge to that order and the subsequent September 17 order directing his custody was thereafter brought before the High Court. Pursuant to the warrant, Nair was taken into custody on September 17 and lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail, Ahmedabad.
Before the High Court, Nair’s counsel argued that the warrant had been issued without following the graduated procedure contemplated by the Supreme Court for securing the presence of an accused. It was submitted that summons or a bailable warrant should ordinarily precede the issuance of a non-bailable warrant, particularly when there was no material to suggest that Nair posed a threat or was deliberately evading the proceedings.
His counsel further maintained that Nair had participated in the proceedings on several occasions and that his advocate had been appearing before the court. The defence disputed the Sessions Court’s finding that he had remained absent for a prolonged period and contended that the record demonstrated his bona fides.
The defence also argued that the underlying offence was defamation, for which the maximum punishment is two years, and that the circumstances did not justify continued incarceration pursuant to an NBW.
The High Court had, on September 23, reserved its decision on Nair’s challenge but declined to grant interim release while reserving the matter for orders. The Court had observed that since the petition had already been fully heard and was awaiting pronouncement, there was no occasion to grant interim relief at that stage.
During the proceedings, the Court also questioned Nair’s side regarding the simultaneous pendency of a regular bail application before the Sessions Court. The Court noted that every proceeding concerning the same subject matter ought to be disclosed to the court.
Counsel for Adani Enterprises opposed the relief and submitted that Nair had not disclosed before the High Court that he had also approached the Sessions Court seeking bail. The company’s counsel argued that the Sessions Court had already considered the bail proceedings and that the High Court should take note of the parallel remedy pursued by Nair.
The High Court had also indicated that Nair could pursue his regular bail application before the Sessions Court.
The Sessions Court subsequently granted Nair regular bail on September 24. In view of the development, the High Court closed the petition challenging the NBW, since the immediate issue concerning his custody stood addressed through the grant of regular bail.
The case, which has its genesis in the criminal defamation proceedings instituted by Adani Enterprises, will continue in accordance with the orders passed by the competent courts in the pending appeal and related proceedings.
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