Yes. Online reviews can potentially lead to a defamation case in India if they contain false and reputation-damaging statements about an identifiable person or business.
A negative review by itself is not automatically defamation. Generally, the issue depends on whether the statement is presented as a false fact rather than a genuine opinion or fair criticism.
For example:
Usually safer: “I did not like the service and felt the staff were unhelpful.” — This is generally an opinion based on personal experience.
Potentially defamatory: “The owner steals customers’ money” — if this is presented as a factual allegation and is false, it could create legal risk.
Publishing fabricated allegations, edited evidence, or knowingly false claims online can increase the risk of legal action.
In India, criminal defamation is addressed under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which replaced the earlier IPC provisions. Depending on the circumstances, the affected person may also consider civil remedies for harm to reputation.
If you receive a legal notice over an online review, preserve the original review, supporting documents, invoices, messages, photographs, and other evidence showing your genuine experience before deleting or modifying anything.
