The group has filed cases in courts across Kerala, Lucknow and Delhi, following a separate defamation suit by Yusuff Ali seeking Rs100 million in damages.
Lulu Group has said it will not withdraw any of the defamation cases filed against individuals accused of circulating false allegations about the company and its chairman, M.A. Yusuff Ali, despite public apologies issued by some of those accused.
V. Nandakumar, Director of Global Marketing and Communications at Lulu Group, told that the company has full faith in the Indian judicial system and will pursue all legal remedies available to it.
“This is not about silencing criticism. It is about protecting the truth,” Nandakumar said.
Cases filed across three states
The group has initiated legal proceedings in courts across Kerala, Lucknow and Delhi against individuals it believes are responsible for spreading fake news and making malicious allegations. Nandakumar said the company’s position remains firm and that it has no intention of withdrawing the cases.
The legal action follows a defamation suit filed by Yusuff Ali, who is seeking Rs100 million (approximately Dh4 million) in damages for reputational harm. The Delhi High Court had earlier ordered the editor of an online Malayalam news portal to remove defamatory content published about the Lulu chairman. It also restrained the individual from making further comments about Yusuff Ali on any platform.
A separate defamation case was filed before the Ernakulam Sub Court in Kerala.
The individual accused had issued a public apology in late October, admitting that his remarks were incorrect and saying he was withdrawing them. The allegations were linked to a gold smuggling case and had been published in a video in November 2020.
Nandakumar said the apologies were a personal matter for the individuals concerned and that the group had nothing further to add. He also made clear that Lulu Group would not consider any out-of-court settlement.
“When someone claims to have recorded an apology, that is their own claim,” Nandakumar said. “We will continue legally. We will not allow even a grain of false allegation against the brand or the chairman.”
He added that likes, clicks and shares were driving the spread of such allegations and fake news.
‘Not just a business’
Nandakumar said Lulu was more than a business, describing it as a home for more than 75,000 employees.
“We have built this organisation over decades through trust, integrity and hard work, and these values are deeply important to us,” he said. “We will always welcome fair criticism and differing opinions. However, deliberate falsehoods and malicious attacks on our reputation will not go unanswered.”
The group reiterated its respect for freedom of speech and the right of individuals to express their views, question decisions and criticise its activities. However, it emphasised the distinction between legitimate criticism and the deliberate spread of fake news, false allegations and misinformation intended to cause harm.
“We have zero tolerance for any such attempts to tarnish the reputation of Lulu, our organisation or our Chairman,” Nandakumar said.
