Actor Deepak Tijori informed the Bombay High Court that he would accept nothing less than a formal public apology, deciding to contest the petitions filed by several journalists and newspapers challenging defamation proceedings initiated against them.

During a recent hearing before Justice Sarang Kotwal, the court inquired about the status of settlement discussions between Tijori and the petitioners. The journalists, represented by their legal counsel, were met with opposition from Tijori's advocate, Ajay Panicker, who highlighted that the defamatory content in question remained available on the websites of the newspapers involved.

Justice Kotwal suggested that if the offensive articles were removed, Tijori might reconsider pursuing the case. However, Panicker insisted that only a written public apology, prominently published on the front pages of the newspapers, would satisfy his client.

The defamation case stems from a 2012 dispute involving Tijori and his wife, which led to media coverage that the actor found damaging to his reputation. In response, Tijori filed a complaint with a magistrate court, accusing the journalists and their newspapers of spreading false and defamatory news.

Panicker argued that the articles in question were part of a concerted effort to harm the reputation of Tijori and his wife, particularly within their housing society. He stressed that these actions had caused significant damage to their standing in the community.

Following an initial police investigation, the magistrate court issued a process on January 9, 2014, summoning the journalists as accused. When the journalists sought to have the order overturned by the sessions court, their pleas were rejected, prompting them to escalate the matter to the High Court.

Despite previous discussions about a possible settlement, no resolution had been reached as of the August 23, 2024, hearing. As a result, both parties are now preparing to move forward with arguments in court. Meanwhile, Panicker assured the High Court that the lower court proceedings would remain on hold pending the High Court's decision.