MUMBAI: Delhi HC has restrained Zee Hindustan from using the name of India TV editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma in any of its advertisements, stating that its latest ad campaign is prima facie illegal. It has directed the channel to remove any hoardings or ads that use Rajat’s name.

Zee Hindustan, to promote its anchorless news channel, had started an advertisement campaign that made reference to some of the popular news anchors including Sharma and Republic’s Arnab Goswami using slogans like “India mein ab Rajat ki Adalat band!” (Rajat’s Adalat is now shut in India!), and “Ab Anchor nahin khabarein khud bolengi, Kyunki aap samjhdaar hain” (Since you are intelligent, news would speak for itself, without any news anchor).

Sharma and his channel India TV filed a suit for an injunction against Zee,  claiming that the advertisement is being used to deliberately and maliciously misrepresent and disparage the image of India TV and Rajat Sharma, who has been running the show Aap Ki Adalat on different channels since 1993.

Justice Jayant Nath of Delhi High Court impugned the advertisement saying, “The Hon’ble Court while granting the injunction in favour of Sharma and India TV, refrained Zee from using Rajat Sharma’s name in their advertisements in the electronic and print media or in any other form. The Hon’ble Court has further directed Zee to take down all hoardings containing the impugned advertisements.”