HC grants relief to actress Rupali Ganguly in defamation row with stepdaughter

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted ad-interim relief to television actress Rupali Ganguly, known for her lead role in the series Anupama, in a defamation case against her stepdaughter, Esha Verma

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted ad-interim relief to television actress Rupali Ganguly, known for her lead role in the series Anupama, in a defamation case against her stepdaughter, Esha Verma. The court deemed Verma’s actions a deliberate and unnecessary attempt to tarnish Ganguly’s reputation.

HC grants relief to actress Rupali Ganguly in defamation row with stepdaughter

Ganguly alleged that between November 3, 2024, and December 3, 2024, Verma launched a targeted campaign against her by making defamatory statements, including accusations of physical assault and manipulation. In her social media posts, Verma claimed, “Rupali physically hit my mother in Mumbai. She convinced my father to send divorce papers to my mother.”

The posts, which gained significant traction online, cast aspersions on Ganguly’s personal and professional integrity. On December 13, 2024, Ganguly filed an injunction suit seeking to restrain Verma from publishing, posting, or circulating any further defamatory content. The suit also called for media platforms to remove existing defamatory content.

The controversy, however, predates recent events. A Facebook post from 2020 alleged that Ganguly had an affair with Esha’s father, Ashwin Verma, while he was married to Esha’s mother, Sapna Verma. In November 2024, Esha revisited these allegations, labelling Ganguly as “cruel-hearted” and “psychotic”. She further accused Ganguly of ruining her father’s previous marriage, administering suspicious medications to him, and issuing threats to her family.

One of Esha’s Facebook posts read, “Does anyone know the real story of Rupali Ganguly? She had an affair with Ashwin K Verma for 12 years during his second marriage. She is controlling and psychotic. Her behaviour towards my father is similar to what Riya Chakraborty allegedly did to Sushant Singh Rajput.”

The widespread circulation of such allegations caused public backlash against Ganguly, exposing her family, including her 11-year-old son, to intense scrutiny and taunts. The controversy coincided with a decline in the TRPs of Anupama, leading to speculation of a calculated move to harm Ganguly’s career at the peak of her popularity.

The suit also named “John Doe” entities—unknown parties who facilitate the dissemination of defamatory content—as co-defendants. This legal designation allows the inclusion of unnamed platforms or individuals who contribute to the spread of harmful material.

Advocate Sana Raees Khan, representing Ganguly, argued that Verma had resumed giving prejudiced interviews to further malign the actress. Khan highlighted how these interviews exacerbated the damage to Ganguly’s reputation, career, and endorsement opportunities.

Justice Arif S Doctor, presiding over the case, called Verma’s statements defamatory and malicious, warranting immediate judicial intervention. The court issued an order restraining Verma, her representatives, and any associated platforms or individuals from publishing or promoting defamatory content against Ganguly.

“This court is pleased to further restrain the defendant and her agents, servants, or any person acting on her behalf from enabling third parties, including John Doe platforms, to continue this malicious campaign,” read the order. The matter has been listed for further hearing on February 17, 2025.