The High Court of Delhi, while permitting journalist and former managing editor of Wion News (owned by Zee), Palki Sharma Upadhyay to continue working with Network 18, directed her not to divulge any sensitive or confidential information of her former employee Zee to any third party.
The order was passed by the Single-Judge Bench of Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani on a suit filed by Zee, alleging that Upadhyay had breached the non-competence and confidentiality clause contained in her employment contract with Zee.
The media publication house alleged that Upadhyay did not serve her mandatory notice period of 90 days and was in possession of sensitive and confidential information, including the strategy, hiring, fundraising and future plan of Wion.
It further alleged that Palki, who remained the face of Wion News for many years and left the channel in September this year, was seeking to illegally exploit this information without any authority by seeking employment with other competing news channel like Network 18.
Zee demanded a permanent injunction against Upadhyay, restraining her from divulging any confidential and proprietary information to any organisation as well as injunction restraining her from working with any competing business till June, 2023.
The High Court, while refusing to restrict the journalist from working in the company of her choice, recorded an undertaking by Upadhyay’s Counsel that she will not divulge any sensitive or confidential information that she may have been privy to during her engagement with the Zee to any third party.
Trust Legal Partner Ritwika Nanda and Associate Partner Akshita Salampuria represented Zee, while the arguments for the company were led by Senior Advocate Joy Basu.
Upadhyay was represented by Advocate Saif Mahmood.
(Case title: Zee Media Corporation Limited vs Palki Sharma Upadhyay)