The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday paved the way for the reinstatement of Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips' account—known as 'TheLiverDoc'—on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The case will now be heard for further consideration in early November.
The bench comprising Justice SG Pandit said that 'TheLiverDoc' account can be restored on the condition that Dr Philips temporarily hides the posts, which were considered defamatory by Himalaya. Dr. Philips' counsel agreed to the condition.
The situation relates to a defamation lawsuit that Himalaya Wellness Co. filed. The personal care-to-pharmaceutical company had alleged that Dr. Philips had made harmful comments about its products, causing it to lose a lot of business.
The doctor had publicly criticised multiple Himalaya products, particularly one called Liv52. In 2021, he claimed that Liv52 worsens existing liver conditions. This statement had gained widespread attention, and he had also shared his research findings on the issue.
The company went to court in Bengaluru to prevent him from making negative statements about Himalaya Wellness and its products on social media. It also requested suspension of Dr. Philips' account on X, following which it was blocked on Sept. 28 on a court order obtained by the company.
Dr Philips had then submitted a legal petition against Himalaya and X to the Karnataka High Court.
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