NEW DELHI: India's Delhi high court has sought details of a person who allegedly sponsored an advertorial in a defamatory artcle against an American-Indian businessman, following an order restraining digital media platforms from publishing it, according to media reports.

The court has issued summons to the newspaper in a US-based businessman’s lawsuit for restraining certain media houses and online platforms from publishing any allegedly defamatory content about the enterpreneur.

Los Angeles-based businessman and investor Gaurav Srivastava in a court claimed that certain publishing houses and online platforms published a “false article” accusing Srivastava of misconduct without any verification, intending to harm his reputation.

Srivastava said that he built a reputation and goodwill worldwide through his consultancy services and community contributions for more than a decade.

The single-judge bench of Justice Prathiba Singh of Delhi high court took the matter seriously, and asked the defendends to disclose the details of alleged sponsor.

On May 30, high court issued summons to the Tribune and had also asked it to disclose the details of the sponsor of the article. The court also observed that the article carried a disclaimer which stated that the "article is part of a sponsored content programme.

Srivastava said that he was aggrieved by the publication of the contemt in The Tribune, which he claimed, "maliciously made defamatory statements and allegations" against him.

“The entire false publications have accused the plaintiff even when there is no shred of evidence and iota of truth in such acquisitions which are a part of a paid campaign to tarnish and harm the reputation of the plaintiff,” the lawsuit read.

Represented by counsel Abhishek Singh, he sought sought damages for the harm caused to his image and reputation.

The plaintiff has also sought unconditional apology from the defendants for publishing unverified content, also a direction to them to remove the allegedly defamatory content.