Anjana Om Kashyap vs Khan Sir: The Full Story of the Controversy and Defamation Case

Background : How It All Started

The dispute traces back to May 29, 2026, when Aaj Tak managing editor and news anchor Anjana Om Kashyap hosted a televised debate in the aftermath of the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) paper-leak controversy. During the broadcast, Kashyap raised concerns about the credibility of YouTube-based coaching educators, questioning the growing commercial influence of these "star teachers" and suggesting that some had been commenting on issues beyond their expertise. She has maintained that her remarks were fair journalistic commentary on a matter of public importance.

Her comments did not go down well with several prominent online educators, chief among them Faisal Khan, popularly known as Khan Sir — the Patna-based YouTuber and founder of Khan Global Studies, who commands a massive following among students preparing for competitive exams.

The Escalation

Between May 30 and June 4, 2026, Khan Sir and several other educators responded publicly, accusing Kashyap of spreading misinformation and acting as a mouthpiece for vested interests. Kashyap and her employer, TV Today Network, allege that this amounted to a coordinated social media and broadcast campaign against her, using terms such as "bikau patrakar" (sold-out journalist), "chatukar" (sycophant), "dalal" and "dalaali" (broker/brokering), and "fake news ki dukaan" (a shop selling fake news).

The other educators named alongside Khan Sir in the dispute include :

- Abhinay Sharma (founder, Abhinay Maths) - Babita Tyagi (co-founder, ICS Coaching) - Arvind Bhadauriya (Naiya Paar Education) - Manish Yadav

Certain X (formerly Twitter) accounts and the 4PM News Network were also named as defendants.

A particularly sensitive element of the row was Khan Sir's public disclosure of the name of the school attended by Kashyap's children. Kashyap has said this information had nothing to do with the underlying controversy and exposed her family to harassment, unwanted attention, security concerns, and what she described as threats to her family's safety.

The Defamation Suit

Kashyap and TV Today Network filed a civil defamation suit in the Delhi High Court against Khan Sir and the other defendants, seeking:

- ₹2 crore (20 million rupees) in damages - Removal of the allegedly defamatory content from social media - A restraining order preventing further disparaging remarks

The plaintiffs argued that the defendants' language went well beyond legitimate criticism and amounted to a deliberate attempt to damage Kashyap's reputation, dignity, and professional standing. The defendants, for their part, contended that their remarks were a direct response to Kashyap's own broadcast criticising online educators.

The matter was first listed before Justice Neena Bansal Krishna (a vacation bench) and was later heard by Justice Tushar Rao Gedela.

Court Proceedings : From No Interim Relief to Mediation

June 17, 2026 : At an earlier hearing, Justice Madhu Jain declined to grant any interim relief to Kashyap and TV Today Network on their injunction application. The court noted that some defendants had not yet filed their replies and gave them additional time to do so.

July 2, 2026 — The Latest Order : The case (case title : Anjana Om Kashyap & Anr. v. Faisal Khan & Ors., cited as 2026 LiveLaw (Del) 608) came up again before Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, who once more chose not to grant an immediate interim injunction and instead referred the entire dispute to mediation.

Key points from the July 2 hearing and order :

- The court orally observed that the "damage had already been done" and that the parties could now only try to salvage the situation, suggesting an amicable settlement was the better path forward. - Senior Advocate Rajshekar Rao was appointed as mediator, with both sides directed to appear before him the same evening at 4 PM. - The court directed Khan Sir and the other educator-defendants to remove all social media posts disclosing details about Kashyap's children, remarking that such personal details — especially involving minors — should never have become part of a public controversy, particularly given that the defendants are themselves educators responsible for teaching young students. - The court simultaneously directed Kashyap and TV Today Network to show restraint and refrain from making further remarks targeting the educators while mediation is underway. - Justice Gedela orally noted that while criticism of public figures is permissible, it must remain at a "decent level," and suggested that objectionable words or phrases be identified and removed by mutual agreement rather than through prolonged litigation. - Counsel for Khan Sir (Advocate Murari Tiwari) assured the court that posts referencing the children would be taken down; counsel for Kashyap (advocates Hrishikesh Baruah, Utkarsh Dwivedi, and Pragya Agarwal) reiterated that the disclosure of the children's school had led to alleged life threats and crossed all permissible limits. - The court also issued notice on an application filed by the defendants seeking rejection of the plaint.

The matter has been listed for July 9, 2026, when the court will review the outcome of the mediation proceedings before deciding whether the case needs to proceed further.

Public and Political Reaction

The case has sparked wider debate about press freedom, online criticism, and the use of defamation suits (sometimes called SLAPP suits — Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) to silence critics:

- AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj** accused the ruling party's supporters of misusing defamation suits to suppress dissent, arguing that journalists who criticise others should be open to criticism themselves. - Senior journalist Nikhil Wagle** publicly questioned the decision to file the suit. - Lawyer Ashish Gehlot** characterised the litigation as a SLAPP suit aimed at securing quick takedowns and public relations advantage rather than genuine redress. - Many social media users have rallied behind Khan Sir, framing his comments as legitimate pushback against mainstream media rather than actionable defamation.

Where Things Stand Now

As of July 3, 2026, the case remains in mediation following the Delhi High Court's July 2 order. No interim injunction has been granted at any stage so far — both on June 17 and again on July 2, the court chose to push the parties toward a negotiated resolution rather than pass a restraining order. Khan Sir's side has agreed to take down posts about Kashyap's children, and both parties have been directed to show mutual restraint until the next hearing.

The outcome of the mediation before Senior Advocate Rajshekar Rao will be reviewed by the court on July 9, 2026, which will determine whether the ₹2 crore defamation suit proceeds to full trial or is resolved through settlement.

--- *This article is based on publicly available court reporting and news coverage as of July 3, 2026. Details may evolve as the case progresses through mediation and any subsequent court hearings.*