The Wire (India) - Revision history

1.23.250.42: Add sections for Meta controversy and withdrawal of Tek Fog story

2022-10-27T10:38:40Z

Add sections for Meta controversy and withdrawal of Tek Fog story

BellaCH: Remove template

2022-10-27T08:45:52Z

Remove template

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:15, 27 October 2022
Line 1:		Line 1:
	~~{{pp-protect\|small=yes}}~~
	{{short description\|Indian news website}}		{{short description\|Indian news website}}
	{{italic title}}		{{italic title}}
Line 35:		Line 34:
	Three journalists, working for ''The Wire'', have won the [[Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards]].<ref name="RNG 2017">{{Cite web \|url=https://rngfoundation.com/awards/pastawards/2017.html \|title=Awards 2017 \|work=Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, Ramnath Goenka Memorial Foundation \|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="RNG 2016">{{Cite web \|url=https://rngfoundation.com/awards/pastawards/2016.html \|title=Awards 2016 \|work=Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, Ramnath Goenka Memorial Foundation \|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> [[Neha Dixit]], reporting on extrajudicial killings and illegal detentions, won the [[CPJ International Press Freedom Awards\|CPJ International Press Freedom Award]] in 2017, [[Chameli Devi Jain Award for Outstanding Women Mediapersons]] in 2016 and the [[Lorenzo Natali Journalism Prize]].<ref>{{Cite news \|url=https://thewire.in/media/neha-dixit-wins-committee-to-protect-journalists-international-press-freedom-award \|title=Neha Dixit Wins Committee to Protect Journalists' International Press Freedom Award \|work=The Wire (India) \|date=17 July 2019 \|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news \|url=https://thewire.in/culture/neha-dixit-wins-chameli-devi-award-for-outstanding-woman-journalist-for-2016 \|title=Neha Dixit Wins Chameli Devi Award for Outstanding Woman Journalist for 2016 \|work=The Wire (India) \|date=1 March 2017 \|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|url=https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/neha-dixit \|title=Neha Dixit \|website=International Center for Journalists \|language=en \|access-date=21 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="CPJ 2019">{{Cite web \|url=https://cpj.org/awards/2019/neha-dixit-india.php \|title=Neha Dixit, India. International Press Freedom Awards \|work=Committee to Protect Journalists \|language=en \|date=2019 \|access-date=21 November 2019}}</ref>{{Non-primary source needed\|date=September 2021\|reason=needs secondary sources not from The Wire itself}} A story published in the ''[[Columbia Journalism Review]]'' in late 2016 identified ''The Wire'' as one of several independent and recently founded internet-based media platforms - a group that also included ''[[Newslaundry]]'', [[Scroll.in]], ''[[The News Minute]]'', ''[[The Quint]]'' and [[ScoopWhoop]] - that were attempting to challenge the dominance of India's traditional print and television news companies and their online offshoots.<ref name="cjr.org_Winter2016" />		Three journalists, working for ''The Wire'', have won the [[Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards]].<ref name="RNG 2017">{{Cite web \|url=https://rngfoundation.com/awards/pastawards/2017.html \|title=Awards 2017 \|work=Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, Ramnath Goenka Memorial Foundation \|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="RNG 2016">{{Cite web \|url=https://rngfoundation.com/awards/pastawards/2016.html \|title=Awards 2016 \|work=Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, Ramnath Goenka Memorial Foundation \|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> [[Neha Dixit]], reporting on extrajudicial killings and illegal detentions, won the [[CPJ International Press Freedom Awards\|CPJ International Press Freedom Award]] in 2017, [[Chameli Devi Jain Award for Outstanding Women Mediapersons]] in 2016 and the [[Lorenzo Natali Journalism Prize]].<ref>{{Cite news \|url=https://thewire.in/media/neha-dixit-wins-committee-to-protect-journalists-international-press-freedom-award \|title=Neha Dixit Wins Committee to Protect Journalists' International Press Freedom Award \|work=The Wire (India) \|date=17 July 2019 \|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news \|url=https://thewire.in/culture/neha-dixit-wins-chameli-devi-award-for-outstanding-woman-journalist-for-2016 \|title=Neha Dixit Wins Chameli Devi Award for Outstanding Woman Journalist for 2016 \|work=The Wire (India) \|date=1 March 2017 \|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|url=https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/neha-dixit \|title=Neha Dixit \|website=International Center for Journalists \|language=en \|access-date=21 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="CPJ 2019">{{Cite web \|url=https://cpj.org/awards/2019/neha-dixit-india.php \|title=Neha Dixit, India. International Press Freedom Awards \|work=Committee to Protect Journalists \|language=en \|date=2019 \|access-date=21 November 2019}}</ref>{{Non-primary source needed\|date=September 2021\|reason=needs secondary sources not from The Wire itself}} A story published in the ''[[Columbia Journalism Review]]'' in late 2016 identified ''The Wire'' as one of several independent and recently founded internet-based media platforms - a group that also included ''[[Newslaundry]]'', [[Scroll.in]], ''[[The News Minute]]'', ''[[The Quint]]'' and [[ScoopWhoop]] - that were attempting to challenge the dominance of India's traditional print and television news companies and their online offshoots.<ref name="cjr.org_Winter2016" />

	Siddharth Vardarajan was awarded with the Shorenstein Prize in 2017; jury member of the award Nayan Chanda mentioned Vardarajan's independent web-based journalism-venture and distinguished body of well-researched reports to be an epitome of journalistic excellence and innovation.<ref>{{Cite news \|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/the-wires-siddharth-varadarajan-wins-shorenstein-journalism-award/310854 \|title=The Wire's Siddharth Varadarajan wins Shorenstein Journalism Award \|website=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)\|Outlook]] \|date=11 April 2018 \|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> A December 2019 article by [[Dexter Filkins]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'', noted ''The Wire'' is one of the few small outfits and the most prominent (other than ''[[The Caravan]]''), to have engaged in providing aggressive coverage of the current [[Government of India\|Indian Govt]] ruled by ~~the~~ [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref>{{Cite magazine\|last=Filkins\|first=Dexter\|date=2 December 2019\|title=Blood and Soil in Narendra Modi's India\|language=en-US\|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]\|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/09/blood-and-soil-in-narendra-modis-india\|access-date=3 December 2019\|issn=0028-792X}}</ref>		Siddharth Vardarajan was awarded with the Shorenstein Prize in 2017; jury member of the award Nayan Chanda mentioned Vardarajan's independent web-based journalism-venture and distinguished body of well-researched reports to be an epitome of journalistic excellence and innovation.<ref>{{Cite news \|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/the-wires-siddharth-varadarajan-wins-shorenstein-journalism-award/310854 \|title=The Wire's Siddharth Varadarajan wins Shorenstein Journalism Award \|website=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)\|Outlook]] \|date=11 April 2018 \|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> A December 2019 article by [[Dexter Filkins]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'', noted ''The Wire'' is one of the few small outfits and the most prominent (other than ''[[The Caravan]]''), to have engaged in providing aggressive coverage of the current [[Government of India\|Indian Govt]] ruled by [[Bharatiya Janata Party\|BJP]] at a time when mainstream media is failing to do so.<ref>{{Cite magazine\|last=Filkins\|first=Dexter\|date=2 December 2019\|title=Blood and Soil in Narendra Modi's India\|language=en-US\|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]\|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/09/blood-and-soil-in-narendra-modis-india\|access-date=3 December 2019\|issn=0028-792X}}</ref>

	In November 2019, The Network of Women in Media, India criticised ''The Wire'' for providing a platform to [[Vinod Dua]] for making fun of an allegation of sexual harassment against him.<ref name="MeToo">Sites covering this episodes are:		In November 2019, The Network of Women in Media, India criticised ''The Wire'' for providing a platform to [[Vinod Dua]] for making fun of an allegation of sexual harassment against him.<ref name="MeToo">Sites covering this episodes are:
Line 47:		Line 46:

	====== Tek Fog ======		====== Tek Fog ======
	In 2022, ''The Wire'' reported a fake story about [[Tek Fog]] and withdrew their claim, along with other stories, following questions raised over the technical accuracy and fitness of the stories soon after.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Staff \|first=Scroll \|title=‘The Wire’ says it was deceived by a member of its Meta reporting team \|url=https://scroll.in/latest/1035966/the-wire-says-it-was-deceived-by-a-member-of-meta-investigation-team \|access-date=2022-10-27 \|website=Scroll.in \|language=en-US}}</ref>.		In 2022, ''The Wire'' reported a fake story about [[Tek Fog]], an [[application software]] and withdrew their claim, along with other stories, following questions raised over the technical accuracy and fitness of the stories soon after.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Staff \|first=Scroll \|title=‘The Wire’ says it was deceived by a member of its Meta reporting team \|url=https://scroll.in/latest/1035966/the-wire-says-it-was-deceived-by-a-member-of-meta-investigation-team \|access-date=2022-10-27 \|website=Scroll.in \|language=en-US}}</ref>.

	== Litigation ==		== Litigation ==

BellaCH: New page

2022-10-27T08:42:49Z

New page

New page

{{pp-protect|small=yes}}
{{short description|Indian news website}}
{{italic title}}
{{use Indian English|date=July 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox website
| name = ''The Wire''
| logo = Wirelogo.svg
| url = {{URL|thewire.in}}
| commercial = No
| type = Journalism, news, analysis
| language = English, Hindi, Marathi, Urdu
| owner = Foundation for Independent Journalism (FIJ)
| Report =
| editor = [[Siddharth Varadarajan]], Sidharth Bhatia and M. K. Venu
| launched = {{start date and age|2015|05|11}}
| location = First Floor, 13 Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg<br />Gole Market<br />[[New Delhi]], DL 110001<br />[[India]]
}}

'''''The Wire''''' is an Indian [[Nonprofit organization|nonprofit]] [[Online newspaper|news and opinion website]] which publishes in [[English language|English]], [[Hindi]], [[Marathi language|Marathi]], and [[Urdu]].<ref name="cjr.org_Winter2016"/> It was founded in 2015 by [[Siddharth Varadarajan]], Sidharth Bhatia, and M. K. Venu and is organized as a [[nonprofit organization]] named the "Foundation for Independent Journalism".<ref>{{Cite news|title=About Us|language=en-GB|website=The Wire|url=https://thewire.in/about-us/|access-date=4 July 2017}}</ref><ref name="business-standard-02Nov15">{{Cite news |url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/online-portals-seek-a-new-face-of-journalism-115110201472_1.html |title=Online portals seek a new face of journalism |last=Kohli-Khandekar |first=Vanita |date=2 November 2015 |work=Business Standard India |access-date=4 July 2017}}</ref>

The publication's reporters have won several national and international awards, including three [[Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards]]<ref name="RNG 2017"/><ref name="RNG 2016"/> and the [[CPJ International Press Freedom Award]].<ref name="CPJ 2019"/> The website has been subject to several defamation suits by businessmen and politicians, some of which have been described as [[Strategic lawsuit against public participation|strategic lawsuits against public participation]].<ref name="barandbench-26Nov18" /><ref name="Scroll.in SLAPP"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.indialegallive.com/special-story/civil-and-criminal-defamation-suits-the-chilling-effect-37941 |title=Civil and Criminal Defamation Suits: The Chilling Effect |last=Mishra |first=Neeraj |date=21 October 2017 |website=[[India Legal]] |language=en |access-date=19 April 2020}}</ref>

==History==
[[Siddharth Varadarajan]] resigned from his position as editor at ''[[The Hindu]]'' citing the return of the editorship of the paper to being family run in 2013.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/hh3F4srDSuGG7aQaQWqckL/Former-editor-of-The-Hindu-to-launch-news-website.html |title=Former editor of 'The Hindu' to launch news website |last=Choudhary |first=Vidhi |date=8 May 2015 |website=Livemint |language=en |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> On 11 May 2015, ''The Wire'' was started by Siddharth Varadarajan, Sidharth Bhatia and M. K. Venu who had initially funded the website. Later, it was made part of the Foundation for Independent Journalism, a non-profit [[India]]n company.<ref name="business-standard-02Nov15" /><ref name="thewire-19Mar17">{{Cite news |url=https://thewire.in/60255/how-the-wire-is-funded/ |title=How The Wire is Funded |work=The Wire |language=en-GB |date=19 August 2017 |access-date=4 July 2017}}</ref> The Independent and Public Spirited Media Foundation<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ipsmf.org/ |title=IPSMF|publisher=The Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation|access-date=5 July 2017}}</ref> has provided ''The Wire'' with funding as well.<ref name="business-standard-02Nov15"/>

Varadarajan claims that the publication was created as a "platform for independent journalism",<ref name="livemint-08May15">{{Cite news |url=http://www.livemint.com/Consumer/hh3F4srDSuGG7aQaQWqckL/Former-editor-of-The-Hindu-to-launch-news-website.html |title=Former editor of 'The Hindu' to launch news website |last=Choudhary |first=Vidhi |date=8 May 2015 |work=livemint.com |access-date=5 July 2017}}</ref> and that its non-corporate structure and funding sources aim to free it from the "commercial and political pressures" that supposedly afflict mainstream Indian news outlets.<ref name="livemint-08May15" /><ref name="cjr.org_Winter2016">{{Cite news |url=https://www.cjr.org/special_report/india_digital_revolution_startups_scoopwhoop_wire_times.php |title=Can the digital revolution save Indian journalism? |work=Columbia Journalism Review |issue=Fall/Winter 2016 |first1=Lakshmi |last1=Chaudhry |access-date=5 July 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/jay-shah-files-criminal-defamation-case-against-the-wire/articleshow/61009272.cms |title=Jay Shah files criminal defamation case against 'The Wire' |date=9 October 2017 |newspaper=The Economic Times |access-date=15 October 2017}}</ref> ''The Wire''{{'}}s founding is construed to be a result of, and reaction to, a political environment that has "discouraged dissent" against the present Indian ruling [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref name="cjr.org_Winter2016" />

== Content ==
According to a 2017 article of the ''[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]]'', the websites coverage primarily focused on the topics of development, foreign policy, political economy, politics and science.<ref name="livemint-08May15" />

[[Karan Thapar]]'s regular show ''The Interview with Karan Thapar'' covers current affairs and events on The Wire.<ref>{{cite news |title=Exclusive News Stories by Karan Thapar on Current Affairs, Events at The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/author/karan-thapar |access-date=19 December 2021 |work=The Wire}}</ref><ref name="Asian Age">{{cite news |title='Asian Age' Kills Karan Thapar Column After Mention of '1947 Violence Against Jammu Muslims' |url=https://thewire.in/media/partition-jammu-muslims-karan-thapar-asian-age |access-date=19 December 2021 |work=The Wire |date=25 August 2021}}</ref>

== Reception ==
Three journalists, working for ''The Wire'', have won the [[Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards]].<ref name="RNG 2017">{{Cite web |url=https://rngfoundation.com/awards/pastawards/2017.html |title=Awards 2017 |work=Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, Ramnath Goenka Memorial Foundation |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="RNG 2016">{{Cite web |url=https://rngfoundation.com/awards/pastawards/2016.html |title=Awards 2016 |work=Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, Ramnath Goenka Memorial Foundation |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> [[Neha Dixit]], reporting on extrajudicial killings and illegal detentions, won the [[CPJ International Press Freedom Awards|CPJ International Press Freedom Award]] in 2017, [[Chameli Devi Jain Award for Outstanding Women Mediapersons]] in 2016 and the [[Lorenzo Natali Journalism Prize]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://thewire.in/media/neha-dixit-wins-committee-to-protect-journalists-international-press-freedom-award |title=Neha Dixit Wins Committee to Protect Journalists' International Press Freedom Award |work=The Wire (India) |date=17 July 2019 |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://thewire.in/culture/neha-dixit-wins-chameli-devi-award-for-outstanding-woman-journalist-for-2016 |title=Neha Dixit Wins Chameli Devi Award for Outstanding Woman Journalist for 2016 |work=The Wire (India) |date=1 March 2017 |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/neha-dixit |title=Neha Dixit |website=International Center for Journalists |language=en |access-date=21 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="CPJ 2019">{{Cite web |url=https://cpj.org/awards/2019/neha-dixit-india.php |title=Neha Dixit, India. International Press Freedom Awards |work=Committee to Protect Journalists |language=en |date=2019 |access-date=21 November 2019}}</ref>{{Non-primary source needed|date=September 2021|reason=needs secondary sources not from The Wire itself}} A story published in the ''[[Columbia Journalism Review]]'' in late 2016 identified ''The Wire'' as one of several independent and recently founded internet-based media platforms - a group that also included ''[[Newslaundry]]'', [[Scroll.in]], ''[[The News Minute]]'', ''[[The Quint]]'' and [[ScoopWhoop]] - that were attempting to challenge the dominance of India's traditional print and television news companies and their online offshoots.<ref name="cjr.org_Winter2016" />

Siddharth Vardarajan was awarded with the Shorenstein Prize in 2017; jury member of the award Nayan Chanda mentioned Vardarajan's independent web-based journalism-venture and distinguished body of well-researched reports to be an epitome of journalistic excellence and innovation.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/the-wires-siddharth-varadarajan-wins-shorenstein-journalism-award/310854 |title=The Wire's Siddharth Varadarajan wins Shorenstein Journalism Award |website=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]] |date=11 April 2018 |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> A December 2019 article by [[Dexter Filkins]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'', noted ''The Wire'' is one of the few small outfits and the most prominent (other than ''[[The Caravan]]''), to have engaged in providing aggressive coverage of the current [[Government of India|Indian Govt]] ruled by the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Filkins|first=Dexter|date=2 December 2019|title=Blood and Soil in Narendra Modi's India|language=en-US|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/09/blood-and-soil-in-narendra-modis-india|access-date=3 December 2019|issn=0028-792X}}</ref>

In November 2019, The Network of Women in Media, India criticised ''The Wire'' for providing a platform to [[Vinod Dua]] for making fun of an allegation of sexual harassment against him.<ref name="MeToo">Sites covering this episodes are:

* {{Cite web |url=http://www.nwmindia.org/about-us/statements/the-wire-must-desist-from-providing-a-platform-for-those-accused-of-sexual-harassment |title=The Wire must desist from providing a platform for those accused of sexual harassment |work=Network of Women in Media, India(NWMI) |language=en-GB |date=19 October 2018 |access-date=16 November 2019}}
* {{Cite news |url=https://thewire.in/women/nwmi-statement-vinod-dua-metoo-episode |title=Women Journalists' Body Rebukes The Wire For Vinod Dua's Programme |work=The Wire (India) |date=20 October 2018 |access-date=16 November 2019}}
* {{Cite news |url=https://scroll.in/latest/898897/women-journalists-group-criticises-the-wire-for-providing-platform-to-vinod-dua-to-mock-metoo |title=Women journalists' group criticises 'The Wire' for providing platform to Vinod Dua to mock #MeToo |work=[[Scroll.in]] |language=en |date=19 October 2018 |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref>

In September 2021, The Wire received the 2021 [[International Press Institute#IPI Free Media Pioneer Award|Free Media Pioneer Award]] given by the [[International Press Institute]] for being 'an unflinching defender of independent, high-quality journalism'.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://ipi.media/indian-news-site-the-wire-to-receive-2021-free-media-pioneer-award/ |title=Indian news site The Wire to receive 2021 Free Media Pioneer award |work=IPI |language=en |date=1 September 2021| access-date=7 September 2021}}</ref>

====== Tek Fog ======
In 2022, ''The Wire'' reported a fake story about [[Tek Fog]] and withdrew their claim, along with other stories, following questions raised over the technical accuracy and fitness of the stories soon after.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Scroll |title=‘The Wire’ says it was deceived by a member of its Meta reporting team |url=https://scroll.in/latest/1035966/the-wire-says-it-was-deceived-by-a-member-of-meta-investigation-team |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}}</ref>.

== Litigation ==

===Reliance Infrastructure===
In response to one of their video-shows covering the [[Rafale deal controversy]], [[Reliance Infrastructure]] had lodged a defamation case in [[Ahmedabad]] civil court for a cost of {{INRConvert |60 |b |lk=r}}.<ref name="reliance">{{cite news |title=Anil Ambani's Reliance Sues The Wire for Rs 6,000 Crore Over Rafale Coverage |url=https://thewire.in/media/anil-ambanis-reliance-the-wire-rafale |access-date=29 January 2019 |publisher=The Wire |date=26 November 2018}}</ref><ref name="barandbench-26Nov18">{{Cite web |url=https://barandbench.com/another-slapp-in-the-face-anil-ambanis-reliance-group-now-has-the-wire-in-its-crosshairs/ |title=Another SLAPP? Anil Ambani now has The Wire in its crosshairs - B & B |date=26 November 2018 |website=Bar & Bench |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> It was part of a slew of defamation cases, filed against multiple media-organisations and were widely perceived to fall under the category of [[Strategic lawsuit against public participation|strategic lawsuits against public participation]].<ref name="barandbench-26Nov18" /><ref name="Scroll.in SLAPP">{{Cite news |url=https://scroll.in/article/903119/anil-ambanis-defamation-blitz-28-cases-filed-by-reliance-group-in-ahmedabad-courts-this-year |title=Anil Ambani's defamation blitz: 28 cases filed by Reliance Group in Ahmedabad courts this year |last1=Lalwani |first1=Vijayta |work=[[Scroll.in]] |language=en |date=25 November 2018 |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref>

Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Indian [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha|Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha)]] for the ruling [[Bharatiya Janata Party |Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)]] and venture capitalist [[Rajeev Chandrasekhar]] filed a defamation suit in a [[Bangalore]] civil court, after two articles – ''Arnab's Republic, Modi's Ideology'' by Sandeep Bushan and ''In Whose Interests Do Our Soldiers March?'' by Sachin Rao – were published, suggesting that Chandrasekhar's major investments in the Indian media and defence industries represented conflicts of interest with some of his roles as a legislator.<ref name="huffingtonpost-08Mar17">{{Cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/03/08/rajeev-chandrasekhar-says-hes-fighting-a-congress-media-conspir_a_21875286/ |title=Rajeev Chandrasekhar Says He's Fighting A Congress-Media Conspiracy |work=[[Huffington Post India]] |first1=Betwa |last1=Sharma |access-date=5 July 2017 |date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="scroll-07Mar17">{{Cite news |url=https://scroll.in/article/831159/in-highly-unusual-move-bengaluru-court-orders-the-wire-to-remove-articles-on-rajeev-chandrasekhar |title=In highly unusual move, Bengaluru court orders The Wire to remove articles on Rajeev Chandrasekhar |work=[[Scroll.in]] |date=7 March 2017 |access-date=5 July 2017 |language=en}}</ref>

On 2 March 2017 the court passed an [[Ex parte|ex-parte]] [[injunction]], ordering ''The Wire'' to block access to the two articles.<ref name="huffingtonpost-08Mar17" /><ref name="scroll-07Mar17" /> ''The Wire'' complied but decided to challenge the court order.<ref name="huffingtonpost-08Mar17" /><ref name="scroll-07Mar17" /> In February 2019, the court lifted the injunction and ruled in favour of The Wire, leading to reinstatement of the articles.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://thewire.in/law/press-is-watchdog-of-constitution-why-court-dismissed-bjp-mps-plea-against-the-wire |title=Why Court Dismissed BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar's Plea Against The Wire |work=The Wire (India) |date=14 March 2019 |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://barandbench.com/bangalore-court-vacates-order-urging-the-wire-to-take-down-articles-on-rajeev-chandrasekhar/ |title=Order urging The Wire to pull articles on Rajeev Chandrasekhar vacated |date=14 March 2019 |website=Bar & Bench |access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref>

===Jay Shah===
[[Amit Shah]]'s son [[Jay Shah]] filed a criminal defamation case against the editors of ''The Wire'' for publishing an article titled 'The Golden Touch of Jay Amit Shah',<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://thewire.in/business/amit-shah-narendra-modi-jay-shah-bjp |title=The Golden Touch of Jay Amit Shah |work=The Wire (India) |first1=Rohini |last1=Singh |date=8 October 2017 |access-date=10 December 2019}}</ref> an investigative story by Rohini Singh. A BJP-led coalition had formed the government at the centre following their win in the [[2014 Indian general election]], and [[Narendra Modi]] had become the Prime Minister. The article alluded to possible irregularities in Jay Shah's business dealings, claiming that the turnover of a company owned by him increased 16,000 times over in the year following the election.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/jay-shah-files-criminal-defamation-case-against-the-wire/article9895618.ece |title=Jay Shah files criminal defamation case against 'The Wire' |last=PTI |date=9 October 2017 |website=TheHinduBusinessLine.com |access-date=15 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |chapter-url=https://pen-international.org/app/uploads/PEN-Int-India-Report-2018.pdf |title=India : Pursuing truth in the face of intolerance |last=Kumar |first=Raksha |publisher=[[PEN International]] |year=2018 |location=London |pages=11 |chapter=Criminal Defamation : An effective legal gag on free speech}}</ref>

Jay Shah filed the case in court 13 of the Ahmedabad Metropolitan Magistrate against four editors/reporters of ''The Wire''. Additional chief metropolitan magistrate SK Gadhvi ordered a court inquiry into the matter under CrPC section 202 to inquire into the case to decide whether or not there is sufficient ground for a case to be filed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/61009272.cms |title=Jay Shah files criminal defamation case against 'The Wire' |date=9 October 2017 |access-date=15 October 2017 |newspaper=The Economic Times}}</ref> Observing that "prima facie it seems there is a case" against ''The Wire'' for its defamatory article against Shah, a metropolitan court issued summons to the reporter of the article and editors of the website to appear before it on 13 November in the criminal defamation case filed against them. The order also mentions Shah's contention that "the news portal didn't give enough time to him to send his response, the article didn't include the loss incurred by his company in the year 2015-2016, and created confusion over the turnover to defame him."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/jay-shah-defamation-case-citing-prima-facie-case-court-summons-reporter-editors-4905168 |title=Jay Shah defamation case: Citing prima facie case, court summons reporter, editors |first1=Satish |last1=Jha |date=25 October 2017 |access-date=25 October 2017 |work=[[The Indian Express]]}}</ref>

The Ahmedabad civil court on 23 December vacated the ex parte and interim injunction. The court lifted all restrictions except the use of words (after) "Narendra Modi becoming Prime Minister/elected as Prime Minister." ''The Wire'' called the lifting of the injunction a "victory for The Wire", and that the "decision by the civil court is a vindication of ''The Wire''{{'}}s fundamental stand that its article had been a legitimate exercise of the freedom of expression in the public interest."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/shorts/court-lifts-stay-jay-shah-injunction-wire |title=Court lifts stay on The Wire's story on Jay Shah |date=23 December 2017 |access-date=3 January 2018 |via=newslaundry.com}}</ref> However, the [[Gujarat High court]] later reinstated the gag order and refused to quash the criminal defamation case filed by Jay Shah.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://scroll.in/latest/869344/jay-shah-defamation-case-gujarat-high-court-restores-gag-order-on-the-wire |title=Jay Shah defamation case: Gujarat High Court restores gag order on The Wire |work=[[Scroll.in]] |date=20 February 2018 |access-date=17 April 2018 |language=en}}</ref> ''The Wire'' had appealed in the [[Supreme Court of India]] against this order. The [[Supreme Court of India]] asked the Gujarat trial court not to proceed till 12 April with the criminal defamation complaint.<ref>{{Cite news|date=15 March 2018|title=Supreme Court stays defamation proceedings by Jay Shah against news portal|work=[[The Economic Times]]|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/supreme-court-stays-defamation-proceedings-by-jay-shah-against-news-portal/articleshow/63314770.cms|access-date=17 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/jay-shah-case-supreme-court-asks-gujarat-court-not-to-proceed-with-defamation-ca/309522 |title=Jay Shah Case: Supreme Court Asks Gujarat Court Not To Proceed With Defamation Case Against 'The Wire' |work=[[Outlook India]] |date=15 March 2018 |access-date=17 April 2018}}</ref> Later, [[Chief Justice of India]] [[Dipak Misra]] listed the matter to be heard on 18 April by a different bench of the Supreme Court. However, the bench had not been specified.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://thewire.in/media/chief-justice-misra-assigns-jay-shah-case-against-wire-to-different-sc-bench |title=Chief Justice Misra Assigns Jay Shah Case Against The Wire to Different SC Bench |work=The Wire (India) |date=12 April 2018 |access-date=17 April 2018}}</ref>

The Wire pleaded for the withdrawal of its plea, seeking the defamation proceedings against it to be quashed. The portal said they were ready for further proceedings in the Gujarat trial Court. The Supreme Court bench allowed the withdrawal on 27 August 2019. The court remarked that, "''it has become a fashion to serve notice to a person for explanation and even before it can be answered, the articles are published within five to six hours"'' expressing its anguish and also ordered that the trial be completed "''as expeditiously as possible''."<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 August 2019 |title=Jay Shah defamation case: SC allows The Wire to withdraw plea |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jay-shah-defamation-case-supreme-court-allows-news-portal-to-withdraw-plea-5942893/ |access-date=4 June 2020 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=27 August 2019 |title=SC allows The Wire to withdraw appeal in defamation case filed by Jay Shah |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/sc-allows-the-wire-to-withdraw-appeal-in-defamation-case-filed-by-jay-shah-1566920923364.html |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=livemint |language=en}}</ref>

=== Others ===
The organisation has been subject to other defamation suits—six by the [[Adani Group]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=22 May 2019|title=Adani Group to withdraw defamation cases against 'The Wire'|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2019/may/22/adani-group-to-withdraw-defamation-cases-against-the-wire-1980421.html|url-status=live|access-date=27 September 2021|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> and one by [[Ravi Shankar (spiritual leader)|Ravi Shankar]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

==== Adityanath government ====
During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], ''The Wire'' came under the [[Yogi Adityanath]] government's crackdown on journalists reporting on administrative failures and [[humanitarian crises]],<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ghoshal|first=Somak|date=1 July 2020|title=Open book? In India, where people are forced to download a tracking app to get paid, journalists are worried about it also being used to access their contacts|url=https://doi.org/10.1177/0306422020935803|journal=Index on Censorship|language=en|volume=49|issue=2|pages=53–55|doi=10.1177/0306422020935803|s2cid=220443706 |issn=0306-4220|via=[[SAGE Journals]]}}</ref><ref name="muse.jhu.edu-2020">{{Cite journal|last=Mukherji|first=Rahul|date=2020|title=Covid vs. Democracy: India's Illiberal Remedy|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/766187|journal=Journal of Democracy|publisher=[[Johns Hopkins University Press]]|volume=31|issue=4|pages=91–105|doi=10.1353/jod.2020.0058|s2cid=226601805 |issn=1086-3214|via=[[Project MUSE]]}}</ref> a part of a pattern of escalading [[press freedom]] violations in [[Uttar Pradesh]],<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Kumar|first1=Akanksha|last2=Singh|first2=Martand|date=7 July 2020|title=Missing from headlines: How the Adityanath regime is going after local journalists|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/07/07/missing-from-headlines-how-the-adityanath-regime-is-going-after-local-journalists|url-status=live|website=[[Newslaundry]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2 April 2020|title=Uttar Pradesh starts criminal probe into The Wire editor for alleged 'discord' during COVID-19 lockdown|url=https://cpj.org/2020/04/uttar-pradesh-starts-criminal-probe-into-the-wire/|url-status=live|website=[[Committee to Protect Journalists]]|language=en-US}}</ref> use of the [[Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897|Epidemics Diseases Act of 1897]] to pressurise journalists,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Parischa|first=Anjana|date=12 June 2020|title=India's Laws Used to Pressure Reporters Covering Pandemic|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/covid-19-pandemic_indias-laws-used-pressure-reporters-covering-pandemic/6191006.html|url-status=live|website=[[Voice of America]]|language=en}}</ref> and [[democratic backsliding]] in India.<ref name="muse.jhu.edu-2020" /> Between April 2020 and June 2021, four separate [[First information report|FIRs]] alleging false information were lodged by the [[Uttar Pradesh Police]] against various journalists working for the news outlet, including against one of its founding editors.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rashid|first=Omar|date=25 June 2021|title=The Wire, journalist booked in Uttar Pradesh|language=en-IN|work=[[The Hindu]]|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/the-wire-news-portal-journalist-booked-for-documentary-on-mosque-demolition-in-up/article34958603.ece|access-date=11 October 2021|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> According to ''[[Reporters sans frontieres]]'', the cases had no tangible evidence and amounted to harassment through litigation.<ref>{{Cite web|date=17 June 2021|title=Three Indian journalists could be jailed for nine years for tweets about video|url=https://rsf.org/en/news/three-indian-journalists-could-be-jailed-nine-years-tweets-about-video|url-status=live|website=[[Reporters sans frontieres]]|language=en}}</ref> In September 2021, the [[Supreme Court of India]] responding to a petition against the FIRs, extended a 2 month protection from arrest to the journalists at ''The Wire'' over press freedom concerns but declined to quash them, instead directed the petitioners to approach the [[Allahabad High Court]] stating that it would set a bad precedent and open a floodgate of quashing petitions under Article 32, which grants the right to [[constitutional remedies]] for violation of [[fundamental freedoms]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kakkar|first=Shruti|date=8 September 2021|title=Supreme Court Grants 2 Months Protection To 'The Wire' Journalists From 3 UP Police FIRS; Asks Them To Move HC For Quashing|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/supreme-court-grants-2-months-protection-to-the-wire-journalists-from-3-up-police-firs-asks-them-to-move-hc-for-quashing-181160|url-status=live|website=Live Law|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=8 September 2021|title='The Wire' and three of its journalists get two months interim relief from SC in FIRs filed in UP|url=https://scroll.in/latest/1004890/the-wire-and-three-of-its-journalists-get-two-months-interim-relief-from-sc-in-firs-filed-in-up|url-status=live|website=[[Scroll.in]]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=8 September 2021|title=SC Grants 2 Month Protection to 'The Wire' Journos Against UP Police FIRs|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/sc-grants-2-month-protection-to-the-wire-journalists-against-up-police-firs|url-status=live|website=[[The Quint]]|language=en}}</ref>

==== Bharat Biotech ====
In February 2022, [[Bharat Biotech]] filed a defamation lawsuit of {{INRConvert|100|c|lk=r}} against ''The Wire'' and its editors over 14 articles that had reported on the pharmaceutical company and [[Covaxin]], the [[Covid-19 vaccine]] developed by it.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 February 2022|title=Court Orders The Wire To Take Down 14 Articles on Bharat Biotech in 100 Cr Case|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/law/court-orders-the-wire-to-take-down-14-articles-on-bharat-biotech-in-rs-100-cr-case|website=[[The Quint]]|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Tiwari|first=Ayush|date=24 February 2022|title=Bharat Biotech defamation case: A day after court order, Wire says no notice yet|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2022/02/24/bharat-biotech-defamation-case-a-day-after-court-order-wire-says-no-notice-yet|website=[[Newslaundry]]}}</ref> The defamation suit also named all those who had contributed to the articles which included several journalists and medical professionals.<ref name=":0" /> The lawsuit was filed at a local district court in [[Rangareddy]], [[Telangana]] where an additional district judge passed an [[Ex parte|ex-parte]] [[injunction]], a restraining order directing the news publication to take down its articles within the next 48 hours.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sanghi|first=Jagriti|date=24 February 2022|title=100 Crore Defamation Case: Telangana Court Directs The Wire To The Down Articles Against Bharat Biotech In An Ad-Interim Ex-Parte Order|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/the-wire-bharat-biotech-covaxin-100-cr-defamation-telengana-court-take-down-192684|website=Live Law|language=en}}</ref> The editor-in-chief of ''The Wire'' stated that they would challenge the legality of the order as no notice was served to them and the organisation was not given an opportunity to defend itself against Bharat Biotech's allegations. The court said that the articles published by ''The Wire'' would lead to vaccine hesitancy.<ref>{{Cite web|date=24 February 2022|title=Court directs The Wire to take down 14 articles critical of Bharat Biotech, Covaxin|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/court-directs-wire-take-down-14-articles-critical-bharat-biotech-covaxin-161314|access-date=24 February 2022|website=[[The News Minute]]|language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|https://thewire.in}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wire}}
[[Category:2015 establishments in Delhi]]
[[Category:Indian news websites]]
[[Category:Publications established in 2015]]