Bombay High Court Rules Social Media Cannot Be Used for Defamation; Asks Khan's Neighbour to Delete Posts
The Bombay High Court heard a defamation case where Bollywood actor Salman Khan sued his Panvel farmhouse neighbour Ketan Kakkad over social media posts alleging environmental violations and property access obstruction. Justice Sharmila Deshmukh questioned why grievances should be aired on social media rather than through proper authorities, and suggested Kakkad consider deleting the content. The ruling underscores judicial limits on social media speech while balancing free expression against defamation claims.
The Bombay High Court addressed a defamation dispute between actor Salman Khan and his neighbour Ketan Kakkad, who owns an adjoining property at Khan's Panvel farmhouse in Navi Mumbai. Kakkad had posted videos and content on social media alleging that Khan violated environmental norms during construction and blocked access to his property, claiming he had also approached authorities without result. Khan filed a defamation suit, arguing the posts were defamatory and communally provocative, and sought their removal. Justice Sharmila Deshmukh observed that access to social media does not entitle anyone to post defamatory content about any person, whether a celebrity or ordinary citizen, and questioned why such grievances are not addressed through proper channels instead. The court also expressed concern about judicial resources being spent determining whether individual social media posts are defamatory. The Bench suggested Kakkad consider voluntarily deleting the content and scheduled the matter for further hearing on July 6, 2026.
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