Case Name: Bisleri International Private Limited v. Meta Platform Inc. & Ors.
Case Number: Interim Appication (L) No. 37662 of 2026 in Suit (L) No. 37659 of 2026
Date: Friday, Thirtieth of October, Two Thousand and Twenty-Six
Court: High Court of Judicature at Bombay
Coram: Arif S. Doctor, J.
FACTS
Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd. is engaged in bottling, processing, packaging, marketing and manufacturing packaged drinking water, natural mineral and carbonated soft drinks. The company operates across India through co-packers, franchises and owned plants. Bisleri undertakes thorough lab tests and stringent checks in compliance with standards and guidelines laid down by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) and holds a valid FSSAI Central Licence until 12th May 2028.
On 27th October Bisleri’s marketing team discovered the video circulating online. Plaintiff has filed the present suit on account of a defamatory, denigrating and disparaging video that has been circulating about the Plaintiff’s product. The video allegedly claimed that Bisleri’s packaged drinking water was sourced from drain and toilet water. It depicted a manufacturing facility that Bisleri claimed had no connection with it. The allegations suggested that Bisleri was selling contaminated and unsafe drinking water. Because of the widespread defamation of Plaintiff’s products, the Plaintiff seeks ex-parte ad-interim relief through this Interim Application.
LEGAL ISSUES
- Whether the Court can grant ex-parte ad-interim injunction to protect a company’s goodwill and reputation against the widespread circulation of allegedly defamatory content on social media platforms?
LEGAL PROVISIONS
- Order XXXIX Rule 3, CPC, 1908 – governs the procedure for granting an injunction without prior notice to the opposite party.
ARGUMENTS
PLAINTIFF’S SUBMISSION – the learned Senior Counsel played the said video clip/reel, and pointed out that nothing in the clip has any connection with the Plaintiff. The impugned video contains several statements and visual representations concerning Bisleri and falsely suggested that Plaintiff is manufacturing and selling contaminated water which is unsafe for the consumers, which creates an impression in the minds of the viewers that the products are unfit for human consumption and pose a risk to public health.
Upon examination of the premises shown in the video, it was found that they neither belonged to the Plaintiff nor to any of its licensees, franchisees or co-packers. He further submitted that Defendant Nos. 2 to 94 have published and circulated the impugned video, despite the fact that the allegations remained unverified.
ANALYSIS
The court examined the video and found that it prima facie appeared to contain malicious and disparaging allegations. It also considered the risk of further circulation, the potential damage to Bisleri’s reputation and can cause irreparable injury to Bisleri’s goodwill and reputation. These findings were sufficient for the Court to grant immediate interim protection.
However, the suit is still pending. The defendants have been given liberty to apply for variation, modification or recall of the order. The final question for defamation and the ultimate relief in the suit have not been decided by this interim order.
COURT’S ORDER
The Court granted injunction in terms of prayer clauses (a), (b) and (c) of the Interim Application. The relief included removal of the impugned content, restraint against further circulation, the court through dynamic injunction direct the removal of reposts, reshares, etc. of the video, Bisleri was directed to comply with procedural requirements of Order XXXIX Rule 3 CPC within 3 working days of the order being uploaded, the defendants were granted liberty to apply for variation, modification or recall of the order after giving at least seven clear working days’ notice to Bisleri’s advocates.
CONCLUSION
The Court found that the Plaintiff has made out a case for the grant of ex-parte ad-interim reliefs. The Court also observed that giving notice to the defendants before passing this order would defeat the very purpose of granting ad-interim reliefs. The Interim Application was listed for further consideration on 26th November, 2026. The order was directed to continue until 27th November, 2026.
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WRITTEN BY- PRIYANSHI CHOUDHARY
Bisleri International Private Limited v. Meta Platforms Inc. & Ors.
