The Delhi High Court ordered online platforms to take down fake and obscene AI content targeting Kangana Ranaut. The ruling reinforces personality rights and tightens scrutiny of deepfake misuse.
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Newdelhi,Oct 12, 2026 17:48 IST
The Delhi High Court has ordered the takedown of AI-generated, fake and obscene content about BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut from online platforms, while also restraining unauthorised use of her name, image, likeness, voice, speeches, persona and other personality attributes.
Passing an interim order on Ranaut’s lawsuit seeking protection of her personality rights, Justice Vikas Mahajan directed Meta to act within 72 hours of receiving a copy of the order. The court also asked the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Telecommunications to issue directions to internet and telecom service providers to block access to the identified infringing websites within two weeks.
In the order passed on October 8, the court said, “Meta is directed to remove, disable access to, and permanently take down the impugned content identified by the plaintiff, from the platforms operated by them, including but not limited to videos, reels, posts, accounts, or channels which unlawfully use or imitate the plaintiff’s persona within 72 hours of being communicated a copy of this order by the plaintiff.” The order also said a compliance affidavit is to be filed within two weeks.
Ranaut’s lawyer objected to sexual and pornographic content, fake news and AI-generated content that wrongly attributed statements to the BJP leader. The lawyer also referred to objectionable satirical content, including memes, but said no interim relief was being pressed for against them at this stage.
The court said Ranaut’s stature inherently gives her proprietary rights over her personality and associated attributes, including the exclusive right to use them for commercial purposes and to protect them against unauthorised use or exploitation. “This further includes protection to the plaintiff against such instances of the impugned content, involving AI-generated/morphed, sexual, and explicit deepfakes,” the court said.
The court added that if any website or social media account that is not primarily an infringing platform is blocked or locked under the order, it may approach the court with an undertaking that it does not intend to infringe the actor’s personality rights. The court said it would then consider modifying the injunction accordingly.
The High Court has previously granted interim relief in similar matters moved by several public figures, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Salman Khan, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Sudhir Chaudhary, Raj Shamani, Pawan Kalyan and cricketer Abhishek Sharma. In Ranaut’s case too, the court has ordered immediate action against the identified content and barred unauthorised use of her persona.
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