Disclosure of Confidential Information May Breach Contract but Not Amount to Defamation: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court held that even if an employee shares confidential business information, it may amount to a breach of contract but does not automatically qualify as defamation.

The Court explained that defamation requires a false or harmful statement to be communicated to others, damaging a person’s reputation.

In this case, there was no such defamatory imputation made to third parties.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna dismissed the appeal filed by a publishing company, clarifying that breach of confidentiality obligations and defamation are distinct legal issues, and one does not necessarily lead to the other.

[Rohan Book Company Private Ltd. v. Sachin Tyagi]