Karnataka High Court bars publication of defamatory content on Ranya Rao's father

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has granted an ex-parte temporary injunction restraining 39 media houses from telecasting, publishing or disseminating any defamatory statements against senior police officer K Ramachandra Rao.

The IPS officer had moved the court in the wake of stepdaughter and Sandalwood actress Harshavardini Ranya Rao arrested in a case of gold smuggling.

“Issue emergent notice. Ad-interim ex-parte temporary injunction against the respondents, restraining them from telecasting or publishing or disseminating any content that is defamatory to the petitioner, till the next date of hearing,” Justice HT Narendra Prasad said in the order passed on March 10, 2025.

The petitioner has contended that since he is neither an accused nor a witness in the gold smuggling case, his reputation cannot be tarnished by the respondents.

On Wednesday, passing a similar injunction order, a city civil court had restrained media from publishing/ telecasting any defamatory article/ news/ comment against Ranya Rao. The city civil court had passed the ex-parte order in the application filed by Ranya Rao’s mother HP Rohini.