ANI Media Pvt. Ltd., the parent company of Asian News International (ANI), has filed a civil defamation lawsuit against YouTuber Mohak Mangal in the Delhi High Court. The suit alleges that Mangal made defamatory remarks accusing ANI of “extortion and blackmail” in connection with its copyright enforcement practices on YouTube.
The dispute stems from a May 2025 investigation by The Reporters Collective, which scrutinized ANI’s approach to copyright enforcement. The report claimed ANI was aggressively targeting YouTube creators who used its content without permission, often demanding substantial fees for retrospective licensing. Critics argued that ANI exploited YouTube’s policy of terminating channels after three copyright strikes in 90 days, thereby pressuring creators into compliance. ANI, however, maintained that its actions were within legal bounds and not coercive.
In response to Mangal’s allegations, ANI approached the court seeking damages and an injunction to stop further spread of the contested claims. The case is now being heard by the Delhi High Court and brings to the forefront the ongoing debate between media organizations’ intellectual property rights and content creators’ freedom of expression.
This lawsuit is part of ANI’s broader legal efforts to safeguard its reputation and intellectual property. The company has also filed a defamation case against the Wikimedia Foundation over information in its Wikipedia article. These legal battles are likely to shape future discussions around digital content regulation, online defamation, and the delicate balance between protecting reputations and preserving free speech in the digital era.
