While hearing an appeal filed by an NRI businessman who was named in an FIR filed in October 2020, the division bench comprsing Justice CJ Sunia Agarwal and Justice NV Anjaria, held that once a First Information Report (FIR) is quashed, the media should delete news articles that reported the lodging of the FIR.

The Counsel for businessman, argued that the continued circulation of news articles related to the FIR violated his client’s “right to be forgotten.”

On the Contrary, counsel for the Times of India (TOI) countered that the court must consider the freedom of the press before making any orders.

The Court in its order held that if the articles continue to be circulated after the FIR is quashed, they give the impression that a criminal case is pending against the person named in the FIR, which could harm their reputation and goodwill.

The court adjourned the matter to give the parties a chance to resolve the dispute themselves.