Even if it has something to do with protecting Imlie, this is antithetical to Adi's character. All this while, it was the fact that come what may, Adi won't budge from his core stance of "Imlie humari patni hai" even if he gives token regard to Malini over so called "dosti". So if they take that way for this contrived blackmail angle, the story again might get too degraded to manage to recover from.
They are testing the two pillars of Adilie's relationship - Imlie's faith and Adi's resolve. Imlie ka faith supposedly wavered for 2-3 epis when she doubted Adi of giving her dhoka in that drugged state, but seems like she will be back within 5 minutes of exiting T house toh that will count as her faith winning again. But then we can't say about Adi's resolve.....as per this promo, his resolve about always supporting Imlie seems to be wavering, so if he is shown to go the route of shielding Malini from jail for whatever reason (for protecting Imlie etc. etc), it will still seem like they failed the test of their relationship. An Adi who doesn't stand for his truth or the fact that Imlie is his greatest truth, is basically a shell of himself and then there is no point to his character.
Courtroom drama seems like a side show to do bhaashanbaazi over....wohi token social messaging over how a man's consent matters too but actual storyline will still continue to show Kalini ka pukeworthy supremacy over everything.
Word on the bold! Then that disgusted look he has on the promo is pretty much - I know what you are upto lady and imlie and I are going to expose you soon! I will take that over my first option. He only tells Imlie she is not going to do anything about the camera - which he is going to do it himself - that is the pardafaash of didi.