Delhi High Court Addresses Personality Rights Violation Allegations
The Delhi High Court has issued summons in response to allegations of personality rights violations against Indian cricketer Abhishek Sharma. The Court has asked for responses from the individuals and entities accused of publishing defamatory, obscene, and AI-generated content about Sharma. Justice Jyoti Singh announced the Court’s decision to remove certain offending content from online platforms, emphasizing the need for swift action against such violations.
Legal Proceedings and Court Directives
Justice Jyoti Singh stated, “At this point in time, I will direct their takedown and I will injunct the defendants as we usually do.” The Court has directed that summons and notices be issued to the defendants through their social media and physical addresses. The hearing will resume on November 17, with further proceedings anticipated.
Abhishek Sharma’s Legal Battle
Abhishek Sharma initiated legal action seeking to safeguard his personality rights and demanded the removal of defamatory and AI-generated content that allegedly portrays him in a negative light. The cricketer’s suit specifically targets AI-generated images and misleading captions circulating on social media that falsely depict him. One such instance involved a post misrepresenting Sharma with his manager, falsely labeling her as his girlfriend.
Compliance and Further Action
During a previous hearing, Sharma’s legal counsel, Advocate Bahl, reported compliance with a Court order, noting that several offending URLs had already been taken down. Advocate Varun Pathak, representing Meta Platforms, informed the Court that only two URLs remain on Meta’s platforms, assuring their removal shortly. The Court reviewed flagged Facebook and Instagram posts, analyzing the list of URLs submitted in the lawsuit.
Ongoing Violations and Representation
Advocate Bahl highlighted that some remaining materials are obscene and unauthorized listings using Sharma’s identity persist on e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart. Advocates Gaurav Bahl, Anku Khanna, Arundhati Dhar, Harshita, and Sachin Thakker are representing Sharma in this legal matter.
For live updates on the case, follow further proceedings where the Delhi High Court will continue to deliberate on the protection of Abhishek Sharma’s personality rights.
