Court grants bail to journalist Ravi Nair convicted in defamation case filed by Adani Enterprises

Freelance journalist Ravi Nair. Photo credit: X/@t_d_h_nair

A sessions court in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar on Thursday (24 September 2026) granted bail to journalist Ravi Nair, a week after he was arrested in absentia in connection with a criminal defamation case filed by Adani Enterprises.

Chief District and Sessions Judge Ashish JS Malhotra allowed Mr. Nair’s bail plea on his September 17 arrest after the same court issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him, his lawyer Ronith Joy said.

The court issued a NBW against him for failing to appear in person during the appeal hearing against his conviction in the case.

“His bail application was considered at the Court of Appeal on Saturday and heard on Monday. The court granted his application today,” Mr Nair’s lawyer said.

Along with his bail application in the sessions court, Mr Nair also filed a stay on the NBW in the Gujarat High Court, which on Wednesday refused to grant him interim relief and questioned Mr Nair’s lawyer for not disclosing that he had also applied for bail in the matter before the sessions court.

The High Court observed that if it had been informed, it might not have allowed an urgent hearing on Saturday.

On 10 February 2026, Mr Nair was sentenced to one year imprisonment by the Mansa Court in Gandhinagar in a criminal defamation case filed by Adani Enterprises on 3 September 2021 for certain tweets and articles attributed to him.

The journalist challenged his conviction in the Gandhinagar Appellate Court, which granted him bail on 9 March 2026 on the condition that he remain present during the hearing of his appeal.

However, he could not attend the hearing held on September 3, 2026 in person due to ill health, as he had to travel from his home state of Kerala, his lawyers said.

The Court of Appeal rejected his request for exemption from personal participation and issued a NBW against him. On 17 September, the court ordered that the petitioner be remanded in custody and therefore remanded in custody.

The High Court heard his motion on Saturday evening on a note submitted to the Chief Justice requesting an urgent hearing of the matter on the ground that the matter relates to Article 21 and the personal liberty of an individual.

Published – 25 Sep 2026 11:04 IST