Court restrains misuse of name, image and voice through AI-generated content; issues interim injunction against unknown entities
The Delhi High Court has granted interim protection to spiritual leader Aniruddhacharya Maharaj, restraining the creation and circulation of AI-generated deepfakes and other content that misuses his personality rights.
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Aniruddhacharya Maharaj, also known as Aniruddha Bapu, filed the suit over the large-scale circulation of AI-generated videos, morphed images, and other manipulated content on social media platforms.
He argued that this content falsely attributed statements and visuals to him. According to him, it misled followers and caused reputational harm.
The plaintiff further contended that the unauthorised use of his identity, including his name, voice, likeness, and speaking style, infringed his personality and publicity rights.
The main issue before the Court was whether the unauthorised use of a public figure’s persona through AI-generated deepfakes and digital manipulation violated personality rights and justified injunctive relief.
The Court found a prima facie case in favour of the plaintiff. It noted that AI-generated content could easily mislead viewers into believing that the material was genuine.
The Court also observed that personality rights cover a person’s name, voice, image, likeness, and other identifiable attributes. It held that unauthorised exploitation of these features, especially through emerging technologies such as AI, amounts to infringement.
Further, the Court recognised the growing misuse of artificial intelligence tools to create deepfake content. It said such content can distort public perception and damage reputation.
Accordingly, the Delhi High Court granted ex parte interim relief. It restrained the defendants, including unknown “John Doe” entities, from creating, publishing, or circulating any AI-generated or manipulated content using the plaintiff’s persona without consent.
The Court also directed intermediaries and online platforms to take down the infringing content and prevent its further spread.
The ruling strengthens judicial recognition of personality rights in the digital era. It also highlights the need to regulate the misuse of AI technologies such as deepfakes, especially when they harm reputation and public trust.
