Karnataka HC Directs Takedown Of AI-Morphed Content Depicting Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade, Family

The Karnataka High Court has directed the State of Karnataka and the Bengaluru CEN Police Station to take immediate steps to ensure removal of AI-generated, morphed, manipulated, and fabricated images and video content depicting Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, the Dharmadhikari of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, and his family members.

The content is to be removed from all social media platforms, URLs, and press and media platforms within one week from receipt of a copy of the order.

Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar passed the order on May 14 while disposing of a writ petition filed by four petitioners, including the Regional Director of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project.

The court observed, "In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances and submissions made by both sides, it is just and appropriate to dispose off this petition directing respondent Nos.1 and 2 to take necessary/effective/ immediate steps to ensure that AI-generated, morphed, manipulated or fabricated images, video content depicting Dr.D.Veerendra Heggade, his family members, etc., to be taken down, removed, erased, effaced, deleted, etc., from all social media, URLs, press / media, social media platforms, etc., and press and other media including respondent Nos.3 to 7 within a period of one week from the date of receipt of a copy of this order."

The petitioners said that despite a representation dated March 24, 2025 submitted to the police pursuant to earlier directions issued by the High Court in a 2023 petition, the state authorities had not taken steps to remove the allegedly defamatory and illegal content from social media platforms, URLs, press and media.

The petition had sought a direction to the authorities and social media platforms not to permit creation, generation, publication, upload, transmission, hosting or circulation of AI-generated, morphed, manipulated or fabricated images, videos or content depicting Dr. Heggade and his family members.

The petitioners also sought directions that if any such content was brought to the notice of the respondents, it should be acknowledged immediately and taken down permanently within 24 hours, without insisting on repeated complaints.

Further relief sought included blocking or disabling accounts, channels, pages, profiles and URLs involved in dissemination of such content and identification of the individuals responsible for creating or circulating it.

Appearing for the State, the Additional Government Advocate submitted that if reasonable time were granted, the authorities would take necessary steps to remove the content as expeditiously as possible.

Accepting the submission, the court directed the State of Karnataka and the Bengaluru CEN Police Station to ensure that the impugned content is “taken down, removed, erased, effaced, deleted” from all relevant platforms, including the Publishers and Broadcasters Welfare Association of Karnataka, Google LLC, Instagram LLC, WhatsApp LLC and Meta Platforms Inc/Facebook India.