A businessman, Amandeep Bakshi who owns and operates bottle stores and hospitality businesses across the Wellington region, has been awarded over $200,000 by the Wellington High Court for a defamatory video posted on TikTok and later shared on Instagram.
Harnoor Gill posted a video on TikTok, under the account name “oppression.unfold” on 11 July 2025, and showed Gill speaking to the camera in Punjabi with text boxes superimposed on screen.
In the video, she claimed a businessman (without naming) exploited employees, encouraged women to make false sexual assault complaints about their boyfriends and threatened to kill those who spoke out.
Although she didn’t name Bakshi in the 10-minute video, she described him as an employer based in Wellington who “owns many shops – kebab shops and liquor stores too”.
Amandeep Bakshi – director and shareholder of Nirmal, which owns and operates bottle stores and hospitality businesses across the region, took legal action claiming she defamed him in the video.
High Court Justice Rachel Dunningham found that Gill published a defamatory video about Bakshi, and former employee Paras Kamboj also defamed him by reposting it on Instagram.
The TikTok video received more than 11,000 views, 227 likes, 36 comments and 208 shares.
Bakshi told the court he believed the TikTok video was based on information provided by Kamboj and another former employee as it included allegations connected to employment disputes involving them.
Kamboj’s employment with Nirmal was terminated on 25 June 2025, after failing to attend work from 17 June without explanation.
In a decision taken on 7 Aug., Justice Dunningham found that Harnoor Gill published a defamatory video about Bakshi, and former employee Paras Kamboj also defamed him by reposting it on Instagram. Justice awarded Bakshi $100,000 in damages against Gill, $50,000 against Kamboj, and $51,279 in costs.
A comment on the video asking if his vehicle’s registration number was ‘Bakshi’, was liked by Gill, further pointing finger at Bakshi.
Justice Dunningham said that although Bakshi was not named in the video, it was sufficient to identify him. The video inncluded a statement that “people can figure out who I’m talking about when I post videos” and, in a text box at the top of the frame, read “Wellington New Zealand shame on you Wellington employer baksheya nai jaega”, with the words “baksheya nai jaega” said to translate to “it won’t be forgiven” in English.
“The combination of the description of him as the owner of specific types of businesses in the Wellington area, and the surrounding context, was sufficient to identify him to those who knew him.”
Bakshi told the court he was “shocked and in complete disbelief” when he saw the video. According to him, the Indian community had viewed the video and contacted or approached him to discuss its content and concerns arising from it.
Justice Dunningham agreed with affidavits filed with the court from friends and former associates of Bakshi described him as a person with “vision and wisdom” who treats employees and friends with “respect and love”.
“I am satisfied that the defamatory statements were seriously defamatory. To be accused of ‘forcing’ women to sleep with him, of exploiting and harassing his staff and ex-staff, and of threatening to have individuals’ families kidnapped or killed, are all extremely serious allegations.
“They do not just reflect poorly on his character, but suggest he has engaged in serious criminal conduct.”
The Judge was also satisfied that despite not making the video, Kamboj’s reposting of it on his personal Instagram account amounted to publication.
“That repost was repetition of a defamatory statement and therefore the second defendant is also liable for its publication.”
Neither Gill nor Kamboj filed a defence or appeared at the hearing.
