A city civil court in Mumbai has issued a temporary injunction against popular YouTuber Ajey Nagar, better known as CarryMinati, and talent manager Deepak Char, prohibiting them from creating, uploading or sharing any defamatory, vulgar or abusive content about filmmaker Karan Johar on social media platforms. The order was passed on February 9, 2026, by Principal Sessions Judge P. G. Bhonsale after Johar filed a defamation suit against them.

The lawsuit, titled Karan Johar v. Ajey Nagar & Others, was filed through Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Johar’s production house Dharma Productions. Johar’s legal team argued that videos posted on YouTube allegedly made defamatory remarks about him, using vulgar and abusive language harmful to his reputation.

Allegations of Defamation and Court Plea

In his petition, Johar claimed that certain video content by the influencers directly targeted his name and reputation. Though the original videos were taken down, his legal counsel stressed that millions had already viewed them, and clips continued to resurface on social media as short reels and reposts, thereby perpetuating alleged reputational damage.

In response, legal representatives for Nagar argued that the material in question had already been deleted from online platforms, and thus there was no ongoing cause for legal action. They further contended that the court lacked jurisdiction in the matter. However, the court observed that prima facie evidence suggested that Nagar and Char had used defamatory and vulgar language in the contested videos.

Court Orders and Injunction Details

Following the arguments, Judge P. G. Bhonsale ordered the immediate removal of the disputed videos and imposed an interim injunction preventing Nagar, Char, and others from posting, uploading, or circulating any further defamatory or objectionable content concerning Johar on any social media platform until the court decides on Johar’s plea for interim relief. The order also included unnamed defendants, referred to as “John Doe”, restricting unknown parties from reposting or sharing the contested content.

The court additionally directed Meta Platforms and other intermediaries to take down links to videos identified by Johar in the lawsuit, reinforcing the injunction’s scope across digital platforms.

Context and Broader Legal Issues

The legal battle underscores growing tensions between digital content creation and personality rights protections in India. Johar, a prominent Bollywood producer and director, has frequently been the subject of online criticism, especially related to debates around nepotism in the film industry. However, the matter took a legal turn when CarryMinati’s roast video, reportedly modelled on Johar’s own talk show — was alleged to contain offensive, defamatory statements.

In issuing the interim injunction, the court recognised he potential harm continued dissemination of the content could cause to Johar’s reputation, particularly given the widespread reach of social media platforms. The decision reflects the judiciary’s willingness to intervene in digital speech disputes where reputational harm is claimed.

Next Steps and Ongoing Proceedings

The case is scheduled for further hearings as the court deliberates Johar’s application for interim relief. CarryMinati and other defendants will have the opportunity to present their arguments during subsequent proceedings. As of now, no final verdict has been delivered, and the temporary order remains in place.

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