Bombay HC grants interim relief to Amyra Dastur; restrains Luviena Lodh from making defamatory comments against her

Bombay High Court on Monday restrained Luviena Lodh from "publishing, circulating… or republishing any defamatory comments and/or offending videos" against actor Amyra Dastur.

Bombay High Court granted an interim order of injunction. Justice PK Chavan granted relief in a plea filed by Dastur seeking an order of mandatory injunction against Lodh from making defamatory statements against her on electronic media and on her social media handles.

Dastur also sought damages for causing harm to her reputation and social standing.

Vacation court Judge, Justice PK Chavan heard the matter and observed Dastur’s "averments in the plaint reveal that the defendant (Lodh) has been causing damage to her persistently and continuously making defamatory and libelous statements on social media and electronic media."

As per Dastur's claim, Lodh gave out interviews on various news channels and made statements on her personal handle against Bollywood film director Mahesh Bhatt during which she unnecessarily dragged Dastur's name.

Advocate Saveena Bedi (Lawhive Associates), appearing for Dastur, brought to the Court’s attention the following statement made by Lodh on her Twitter handle:

"Meri shaadii Mahesh Bhatt ke bhanje Sumit Sabherwal ke sath huyi thi, aur maine unke khilaaf divorce case file kiya hae kyunki mujhe pata Chalgaya tha woh drugs supply karte hain actors ko jaise Amyra Dastur, Sapna Pabbi."

Lodh’s counsel Prashant Pandey counsel said she is also an actor and a makeup director and "has not and does not intend to make any defamatory statement qua the plaintiff (Dastur)."

He said she merely "placed truth and facts as noticed on social and electronic media." When asked by HC if she would stop making such statements, he said, she was "ready to undergo Narco analysis test in support of her statements."

He later added that Lodh did not and does not intend to make any defamatory statements against Dastur.

All the same, the Court found it just and proper to grant the ad-interim relief. The Court has granted 4 weeks' time for Lodh to file a reply to the plea and 2 weeks for Dastur to file her response.