Court stays on posting defamatory content against former Zilingo CEO

Mumbai: Court has granted an ex parte injunction to Ankiti Bose, former CEO of B2B fashion startup, Zilingo, ordering a temporary halt on publishing defamatory content against her. This ruling comes amidst ongoing disputes involving allegations of misconduct by company co-founders, sources familiar with the development told Bizz Buzz.

The court's decision was rooted in the need to protect Bose's reputation from what it deemed as unfair reporting, the sources added.

Earlier this month, Ankiti Bose, had filed a case of sexual harassment against the company’s cofounder Dhruv Kapoor and its former chief operating officer Aadi Vaidya. A case was registered against the two men under sections 354 (A) and 354 (D) pertaining to sexual harassment and stalking, respectively, of the Indian Penal Code on Tuesday at the Kasturba Marg police station in suburban Mumbai. The Mumbai police are yet to summon Kapoor and Vaidya. Both the sections are non-bailable in nature and punishable with up to five years in jail.

“A perusal of record shows that there exists prima facie case in favour of the plaintiff as the plaintiff has a legal right to protect her reputation against unfair reporting. The balance of convenience also lies in favour of the plaintiff, and more irreparable loss shall be caused to the plaintiff rather than the defendants”, the court order said.

The order specifically restrains the defendants from posting any defamatory or incorrect information about Bose on their online platform, www.inc42.com, or any other online platform until the next date of hearing.

Furthermore, if the restraint order is not passed then the object of injunction shall be defeated by delay caused in notice of the application to the defendants, the court added.

The legal action by Bose follows her filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against Zilingo's co-founder Dhruv Kapoor and former Chief Operating Officer (COO) Aadi Vaidya. Bose's six-page complaint details how Kapoor and Vaidya engaged in "sneaky and shady" activities, allegedly concealing vital company-related data and information. She asserts that their actions were aimed at misleading both her and the company's investors to secure financial benefits and force her out of her own business under deceitful pretexts.

This court order marks a preliminary but crucial step in Ankiti Bose's fight to clear her name and address the allegations against her former colleagues. The case continues to unfold, shedding light on the complexities of corporate governance and the personal tolls involved.