HDFC Bank CEO Jagdishan Sued for ₹1,000 Crore by Lilavati Hospital’s Trust
In a recent development, the Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust, which manages Mumbai’s renowned Lilavati Hospital, has filed a defamation lawsuit worth ₹1,000 crore against HDFC Bank CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan. Alongside this, the trust has also filed a criminal complaint against Jagdishan, HDFC Bank’s spokesperson, and Corporate Communications Head, following which they have been served notices.
The lawsuit was filed in the Bombay High Court, alleging that Jagdishan and the other accused individuals made false claims against the trust and its trustee, Prashant Mehta. According to the trust, these false claims damaged its reputation and caused harm to its business.
The dispute between the two parties appears to have originated from a tweet posted by Jagdishan on June 24, 2022, where he questioned the hospital’s handling of a patient’s case. Jagdishan, who is a prominent figure in the banking industry, had taken to social media to express his concerns about the patient’s treatment and the hospital’s response to the situation.
However, the Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust claims that Jagdishan’s tweet was not only inaccurate but also malicious and intended to harm the hospital’s reputation. The trust has alleged that Jagdishan’s tweet caused significant damage to its brand and reputation, resulting in a loss of revenue and business.
The trust has demanded a compensation of ₹1,000 crore from Jagdishan and the other accused individuals, claiming that this amount represents the losses incurred by the hospital due to the false claims made by Jagdishan. The trust has also sought an apology from Jagdishan and the other accused individuals, as well as a permanent injunction restraining them from making any further false or defamatory statements about the hospital.
The criminal complaint filed by the trust against Jagdishan and the other accused individuals is based on sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deal with defamation. The trust has alleged that the accused individuals intentionally made false statements about the hospital and its trustee, with the intention of harming their reputation.
In response to the notices served on them, Jagdishan and the other accused individuals have denied any wrongdoing and have stated that they will contest the allegations made against them in the court of law.
The development has sent shockwaves through the business and healthcare communities, with many experts expressing surprise at the scale of the lawsuit. The ₹1,000 crore compensation demanded by the trust is one of the highest defamation suits filed in recent times, and the case is likely to be closely watched by the business community.
The dispute between HDFC Bank and Lilavati Hospital’s trust has also raised questions about the role of social media in business and personal disputes. Jagdishan’s tweet, which appears to have sparked the controversy, highlights the potential consequences of making false or misleading claims on social media platforms.
As the case unfolds, it will be interesting to see how the court rules on the matter and whether Jagdishan and the other accused individuals are successful in defending themselves against the allegations made by the trust.
