A sessions court in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar on Thursday (September 24, 2026) granted bail to journalist Ravi Nair , a week after he was arrested over his non-appearance in connection with a criminal defamation case filed by Adani Enterprises.
Principal District and Sessions Judge Ashish J S Malhotra allowed Mr. Nair’s plea for bail in his arrest on September 17 after a non-bailable warrant (NBW) was issued against him by the same court, his lawyer Ronith Joy said.
“His bail application was moved in the sessions court on Saturday and it was heard on Monday. Today, the court allowed his plea,” Mr. Nair also moved a plea for a stay on the NBW in the Gujarat High Court, which on Wednesday refused to grant him interim relief while questioning Mr. The high court observed that had it been informed, it may not have granted permission for an urgent hearing in the matter on Saturday.
On February 10, 2026, Mr. Nair was sentenced by a Mansa court in Gandhinagar to undergo an imprisonment of one year in a criminal defamation suit filed by Adani Enterprises on September 3, 2021 over certain tweets and articles attributed to him. On September 17, the court directed that the petitioner be taken into custody, and he was accordingly sent to jail.
The court issued the NBW against him for his failure to personally appear before it during a hearing in an appeal against his conviction in the case. Along with his bail plea in the sessions court, Mr. The appellate court rejected his plea for exemption from personal appearance and issued a NBW against him.
Nair’s lawyer said.
Nair’s lawyer for not disclosing that he had also filed for bail in the matter before the sessions court.
