Delhi HC orders Wipro to pay Rs 2 lakh for defaming former employee in exit letter

Time of India

16-07-2025

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In a rare case, the Delhi High Court has held IT major Wipro Ltd in defamation over its termination letter to its former employee that was replete with 'stigma and insinuations.'It asked the company to pay Rs 2 lakh as general compensatory damages to Abhijit Mishra, who was working as principal consultant between 2018-2020, 'to redress the reputational harm , emotional hardship, and loss of professional credibility' occasioned by Wipro's conduct.Noting that the letter was full of stigmatic language and bereft of any foundation, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav asked Wipro to expunge remarks regarding the professional character of its former employee and issue a fresh termination letter to him."The remarks therein, couched in the use of the term 'malicious conduct', not only lack substantiation but also have a direct and deleterious impact on the future employability and professional dignity of the plaintiff," said the judge said.The termination letter issued by Wipro did not merely effectuate the cessation of the employment relationship, but was couched in a language intended to tarnish Mishra's reputation and to impair his ability to pursue re-employment with dignity, the order stated.The tenor of the communication reveals a discernible intent to carry out a form of character assassination by Wipro under the semblance of administrative formality, thereby compounding the damage to Mishra's reputation and standing, Justice Kaurav added.Wipro has failed to place on record any credible evidence, either testimonial or documentary, to establish that the reputational harm suffered by Mishra was predicated on any demonstrable act of misconduct, the court observed.Wipro had argued that Mishra, who was employed at a senior, creative, and managerial position that demanded highly creative and original work, instead of focusing on his professional duties was more invested in his self-styled identity as a 'crusader for social change,' engaging in activities unrelated to his work.Mishra's behaviour demonstrated his lack of interest in improving his professional performance, which ultimately led to his termination, the company added.The order came on a defamation suit filed by Mishra claiming damages of over Rs 2.10 crore for the adverse remarks in his termination letter that had a deleterious impact on his professional reputation, rendering him unable to secure any alternative employment.