”Delhi High Court Issues Contempt Notice to Wikipedia Over ANI Case”

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued contempt notice to Wikipedia for not informing about the edits that were linked to one of its pages relating to news agency ANI. The court warned the American company Wikipedia to operate per Indian laws. The court told the website, “if you don’t like India, please don’t work in India. we will ask government to block your site.”.

The case has been filed by ANI on grounds of defamation because some edits on Wikipedia labeled ANI as “the propaganda tool” of the Indian government. Earlier, the court directed Wikipedia to disclose details about three accounts that made those edits. ANI said this information had not been supplied.

Wikipedia said that it was just waiting for documents from the submission on hold and its inability to speed it up was because it had no physical office in India. But Justice Navin Chawla remained unconvinced as it argued: “It is not a question of the defendant not being an entity in India. We will close your business transactions here. We will ask the government to block Wikipedia.Earlier also you took this position.”

It has set the next hearing for October when the company would be forced to send its representative. Last month, Wikimedia Foundation, the entity behind Wikipedia, explained that it works as a “technology host” and does not modify/edit or otherwise extend Wikipedia content.