Received a legal notice from the company i had contacted for loans

989 votes

*1. Is a bad review defamation?* In India, *truth + public interest = complete defense* under Section 356 of BNS 2023. A genuine review based on your experience is _not_ defamation if: - What you wrote was true or your honest opinion - You weren’t making up facts to harm them - It’s about service quality — that’s public interest *2. What to do right now* Step Why it matters **Don’t delete the review yet** Deleting can look like admitting it was false. Keep screenshots **Save proof** Bills, emails, chats, photos of poor service — anything backing your review **Read the notice carefully** Is it a legal notice from a lawyer or just a company email? Check deadline to reply **Don’t panic & don’t ignore** Ignoring a court summons is bad. Ignoring a lawyer notice just gives them next move *3. How to reply to the notice* You/your lawyer should reply stating: 1. The review reflects your genuine consumer experience 2. Facts stated are true and you have evidence 3. It’s fair comment protected under Article 19(1)(a) — freedom of speech 4. Consumer reviews are protected under Consumer Protection Act 2019 *5. When it gets serious* If they file a civil/criminal defamation case: - *Civil*: They claim money damages. You defend with truth - *Criminal Sec 356 BNS*: Police/court involved, but for reviews it’s rare and courts often dismiss if it’s genuine consumer feedback *Next steps I’d suggest:* 1. Gather all proof of your experience with the company 2. Talk to a lawyer in Bangalore for a reply notice — many do first consult free/cheap 3. You can also file a complaint with Consumer Forum if their service was actually deficient

Advocate Praveenkumar S LawRato