Malabar Gold & Diamonds, owned by MP Ahammed, signs contract with Pakistan-based anti-India influencer

Bombay HC orders removal of all critical social media posts following company’s petition

(Influencer – a person who exerts influence through social media platforms)

Mumbai – The Bombay High Court has ordered the removal of all social media posts (texts or images) critical of Malabar Gold & Diamonds, a major Indian jewelry brand. The company had issued a legal notice to Hindu activist Vijay Patel, threatening legal action and imprisonment.

Malabar Gold Controversy! 💎

The brand tied up with Pakistani🇵🇰 influencer Aleeshba Khalid – who mocked Operation Sindoor

Activist @vijaygajera exposed the deal – now #BoycottMalabar is trending 🔥

Malabar rushed to the Bombay High Court, which ordered takedown of all critical… pic.twitter.com/oMcEtYG3Y1

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) October 17, 2025

Pakistani influencer had insulted ‘Operation Sindoor’

Vijay Patel said that he had exposed Malabar Gold & Diamonds’ contract with a Pakistani influencer who had insulted India, and that the company was targeting him in retaliation. ‘The influencer had mocked Operation Sindoor’, Patel said. ‘I am ready to go to jail for the honour of our soldiers. Let’s see who wins — your money and power, or the support of Indians ? You cannot silence me with your wealth’.

The controversy began on 6th September 2025, during the inauguration of Malabar’s new showroom in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Pakistani influencer Alishba Khalid attended the event, and the company released a promotional video featuring her on Instagram. Earlier, in May 2025, Alishba Khalid had called Operation Sindoor a ‘cowardly act’ and had posted messages expressing loyalty to Pakistan, including the slogan ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.

Social media campaign #BoycottMalabar

Following this revelation, Malabar Gold & Diamonds faced widespread backlash online. Many users began using the hashtag #BoycottMalabar, accusing the company of collaborating with an anti-India Pakistani influencer.

Vijay Patel was among the leading voices in this campaign. Instead of apologising or issuing a clarification, the company filed a petition in the Bombay High Court, demanding the removal of defamatory posts from social media. The petition claimed that such posts were harming the company’s business reputation.

In Court, Malabar Gold & Diamonds argued that they had hired GAB Studios, an external marketing agency, to handle the Birmingham event’s promotion. This agency invited local influencers, including Alishba Khalid, a UK-based Pakistani content creator. The company said that it learned of her anti-India posts only after the event.

After reviewing the company’s statement, the Bombay High Court issued an interim injunction ordering that all defamatory posts about Malabar Gold & Diamonds be removed from Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and X (formerly Twitter). The Court also directed that no similar defamatory content be posted in the future.