Islamabad, May 29, 2025: Asian News International (ANI), a major Indian news agency, has filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court against YouTuber Mohak Mangal. The move follows the publication of a video by Mangal on May 25, in which he accused ANI of blackmail and extortion.
According to Mangal, ANI issued copyright strikes on his YouTube channel for using their footage in educational videos and later allegedly demanded 40 lakh to remove those strikes.
Filed through Advocate Akshit Mago, ANI’s petition claims that Mangal’s video contains false, misleading, and defamatory remarks aimed at damaging the agency’s public image. The lawsuit also names stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair as co-defendants for sharing the video on their social media platforms and allegedly supporting the controversy with their own critical comments.
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In its plea, ANI asserts that the video not only uses its registered trademarks without permission but also misrepresents its professional conduct. The agency maintains that Mangal admitted to using their copyrighted material for monetized content and has now turned to defamation after facing legal consequences.
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ANI is seeking a permanent and mandatory ruling requiring Mangal to take down the video, stop using ANI’s branding, and refrain from publishing or circulating further defamatory content. Similar restrictions are also sought against Kamra, Zubair, and anyone else involved in promoting the video.
This legal battle highlights growing friction between traditional media houses and independent content creators over issues of copyright, fair use, and digital speech.
