The High Court also questioned Nair's challenge to the non-bailable warrant, noting that it had already been executed. (File Photo)Journalist Ravi Nair will remain in jail as the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday declined interim relief to him and reserved its order on his plea challenging the non-bailable warrant issued by the Gandhinagar District and Sessions Court for failing to personally appear during a hearing in a criminal defamation case filed by Adani Enterprises.Justice M K Thakker of the Gujarat High Court said that the court would pronounce its order next Wednesday (September 30) and adjourned the case proceedings to Thursday.When Nair’s counsel sought his release pending the order, the court observed that the matter had already been heard and kept for dictation, and therefore “no interim relief is required to be granted”.The High Court also questioned Nair’s challenge to the non-bailable warrant, noting that it had already been executed. The court orally said that Nair had not informed the High Court that he had also moved the sessions court seeking regular bail.Appearing for Nair, advocate Abhik Chimni said that the sessions court had erred in issuing the warrant and submitted that Nair had appeared on three of the eight dates fixed in the appeal and had been granted exemption from appearance on another date. He argued that the sessions court’s observation that Nair had remained absent for six months was factually incorrect. Citing Supreme Court judgments, he submitted that the sessions court could not have issued a non-bailable warrant without first issuing summons or a bailable warrant.Senior advocate Mitesh Amin, appearing for the Adani Group, opposed the plea and urged the High Court to consider Nair’s conduct during the appeal proceedings, submitting that after the appeal was admitted and the sentence suspended in April, Nair had moved an application seeking to lead additional evidence, which, according to the Adani Group, had the effect of delaying the appeal.Amin also submitted that Nair had appeared before the Gandhinagar court in March only for execution of his bail bonds and alleged that he had suppressed the fact that he had simultaneously approached the Gandhinagar court seeking bail in the same matter. Amin also alleged that Nair had repeatedly defamed Adani Group companies.On Wednesday evening, the Gandhinagar court adjourned the order in the bail plea for Thursday, which means that Nair will remain behind bars.Story continues below this adNair was arrested on September 17 after the Gandhinagar court issued an NBW against him for not remaining personally present during the hearing of his appeal against his conviction in the criminal defamation case.On February 10, 2026, a Mansa court in Gandhinagar sentenced him to a simple imprisonment of one year in the criminal defamation suit filed by Adani Enterprises on September 3, 2021 over certain tweets and articles attributed to him.The journalist has challenged his conviction in an appellate court in Gandhinagar, which granted him bail on March 9, 2026 on the condition that he remains present during the hearing of his appeal. He, however, could not personally remain present at the hearing held on September 3, 2026 due to poor health as he has to travel from his native state Kerala, his lawyers said.The appellate court rejected his plea for exemption from personal appearance, and issued a non-bailable warrant against him. The court also directed that the petitioner be taken into custody and was accordingly sent to jail.Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More