Delhi High Court Grants Temporary Injunction Protecting Personality Rights Of Spiritual Leader Aniruddha Bapu

Calling the threat to his image “real and present”, the Delhi High Court has protected Maharashtra-based spiritual leader Dr Aniruddha Dhairyadhar Joshi's Persinlaity Rights Against AI-generated deepfakes. The court restrained the unauthorized use of his name, voice, and persona and ordered Google, Meta and X to take down infringing content within 48 hours and disclose subscriber information of those responsible.

Justice Tushar Rao Gedela passed the ex-parte ad-interim injunction on February 24, observing that the plaintiff had established a strong prima facie case. “The dent and damage to the image and personality of the plaintiff, prima facie, appears to be real and present,” the court said.

Joshi, widely revered as 'Aniruddha Bapu', approached the High Court alleging that unknown persons were using advanced artificial intelligence tools and deepfake technology to create fabricated videos and images digitally impersonating his voice, facial expressions, body language, and distinctive style of discourse.

During the hearing, his counsel told the court that the suit targets deepfake videos falsely attributing statements to him as well as AI-generated images depicting him in the company of gods and goddesses. “I am not a god,” counsel emphasized, submitting that such depictions are “antithetical to everything I stand for” and that the spiritual leader is “embarrassed by” content elevating him to divine status.

The plaint states that certain devotees had uploaded photographs and videos raising their devotion “as if he is God”, and that such eulogization is antithetical to his teachings and harmful to his image.

The court noted that the plaintiff's personality, goodwill, and repute were intrinsically tied to his name, voice, likeness and other uniquely identifiable characteristics. It held that the balance of convenience lay in his favour and that failure to grant interim protection would cause irreparable injury not compensable in monetary terms.

Restraining several unknown defendants and their associates, the court barred them from utilising or exploiting Joshi's “name”, “voice”, “image”, “likeness”, “unique style of discourse and delivery” or any other attribute exclusively identifiable with him, including through “AI generated content, deepfake videos, voice-cloned audio, metaverse environments, or any future formats/mediums”.

The Court directed Google (YouTube), Meta Platforms (Facebook and Instagram) and X (formerly Twitter) to remove or disable access to infringing content within 48 hours of receiving a complaint from the plaintiff or his authorised representatives.

It further ordered the platforms to disclose Basic Subscriber Information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, email IDs and IP addresses linked to the infringing accounts, within three weeks, in password-protected files.

Granting exemption from mandatory pre-institution mediation in view of the urgent nature of the relief sought, the Court listed the matter before the Joint Registrar on April 29 for completion of service and pleadings, and before the Court on August 25 for further hearing.

The ex-parte ad-interim injunction will operate pending further proceedings.