Adani Gag Order, Ambani’s Vantara Clean Chit, And More

“I think there is nothing more satisfying than having your case heard before a judicially trained mind who is seasoned as a judge with a judicial temperament, known for his knowledge of law and of course known for his integrity. I think that is the most significant assurance a stakeholder in an arbitration can have.”
-Justice KV Vishwanathan during his keynote address at India ADR Week 2025

A clean chit to wildlife rescue and rehabilitation home, but the haste raises eyebrows
A wildlife rescue and rehabilitation home founded by the youngest son of Asia’s richest man was cleared of all the allegations against it by a probe panel set up by the top court. The speed at which the case was closed against the facility, however, raised some eyebrows.

The rescue home was accused of flouting local and international norms and rules on acquiring and maintaining animals, including rare animals and their imports. The special investigation team set up by the Supreme Court submitted its report on a set of questions posed by the court in a sealed cover on a short deadline.

This report absolved the organisation of all wrong-doing noting that it is in strict compliance with all the laws and rules prompting the court to close the case. The top court did not publish the report in its entirety and resealed the cover without providing a copy of it to the petitioners because the lawyer for Vantara requested so, citing commercial confidentiality. 

The court also said that no complaint against Vantara should be entertained by any other authorities or courts based on the same material relied on by the petitioner in this case. 

The Week That Was
Key Rulings

• Supreme Court paused the operation of some key controversial provisions of the Waqf Amendment Act that relate to power of a collector to rule on validity of waqf property, number of non-Muslim members of waqf regulatory bodies, requirement of a person to be a practising Muslim for five years to donate property to waqf

Courts 

• Journalist Ravish Kumar, media organisation Newslaundry approach Delhi High Court challenging the gag order imposed against reporting stories on Adani group; A Delhi court sets aside the gag order with respect to four independent journalists while a separate Delhi court reserved its order on appeal against the injunction in case of Paranjay Guha Thakurta
• Delhi High Court protects film producer Karan Johar’s personality rights and bars misuse of his morphed images
• SIT set up by Supreme Court gives a clean chit to Ambani scion Anant’s project Vantara, top court closes case against the facility
• Seclink Technologies has sought to initiate arbitration against Maharashtra government in the UAE over the state’s tender process for redevelopment of Mumbai’s Dharavi
• Bombay High Court refuses to set aside CCI probe against Asian Paints

Quasi Courts 

• Market regulator SEBI clears Adani group of wrongdoings alleged by Hindenburg report in loan transaction case

Others

• The third edition of Delhi Arbitration Weekend under the patronage of Delhi International Arbitration Centre was held

The Big Listings:

• Oct 8: NCLT in Ahmedabad to hear petition for Vedanta’s demerge
• Oct 9: Delhi High Court to hear partition suit filed in relation to Sunjay Kapur’s Will
• Nov 18: Securities Appellate Tribunal to hear appeal by Jane Street challenging SEBI’s move to allegedly refuse access to important documents to the firm in the case against it

* The dates of hearing can change and a concrete list is prepared just a day before

Legal Moves: 

• Supreme Court designates as many as seven retired high court judges as senior advocates
• Karishma Sundara, previously with Trilegal, launches law firm Kintsugi Law
• Kanchan Sinha joins JSA Advocates & Solicitors as partner
• Collegium recommends
  

  Justice Biswajit Palit to be made a permanent judge at Tripura High Court
  Appointment of two advocates as judges at the Himachal Pradesh High Court
  Elevation of three judicial officers as judges of the Karnataka High Court