NEW DELHI— The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued summons to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in a defamation lawsuit filed by the Indian National Congress. The suit centers on allegations that Goswami falsely identified the Istanbul Congress Center in Turkey as a foreign office of the political party.
Despite issuing summons, Justice Mini Pushkarna declined to grant an immediate interim injunction to take down the content. The judge noted that the original broadcast occurred in May 2025, suggesting that the passage of time made an emergency “stay” less pressing at this stage.
The “Istanbul” Controversy
The legal battle stems from a broadcast aired nearly a year ago, which the Congress party claims was “maliciously propagated” to damage its reputation.
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The Allegation: The lawsuit claims Goswami and others falsely portrayed a Turkish convention center as a Congress party hub, linking it to a volatile geopolitical context involving India-Turkey relations and support for Pakistan.
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Context of the Broadcast: The party’s counsel argued the claim was made against the backdrop of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, intensifying the impact of the misinformation.
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Irreparable Damage: “Offending content continues to do damage. People are still talking about it. They have admitted it is false,” the Congress counsel submitted to the court.
Legal Timeline and Related Cases
Justice Pushkarna has directed Goswami to file a response to the plea for interim relief within four weeks. The matter is now listed for a detailed hearing on May 19, 2026.
This is not the only legal front regarding these claims:
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Bengaluru FIR: In May 2025, an FIR was registered against Goswami and BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya following a complaint by the Indian Youth Congress.
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Karnataka HC Stay: That specific criminal investigation was subsequently stayed by the Karnataka High Court, shifting the focus to the civil defamation proceedings currently unfolding in Delhi.
