The Delhi High Court has taken a decisive stand to protect the personality rights of prominent podcaster and social media influencer Raj Shamani, ordering the immediate removal of unauthorized AI-generated deepfakes and other content misusing his identity.
Court's Landmark Ruling on Digital Identity Protection
In a significant judgment delivered on Monday, November 17, 2025, Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora granted an ex parte takedown order against unauthorized videos and digital content that infringed upon Shamani's personality rights. The court specifically targeted content that misrepresented the podcaster through advanced technology manipulation.
The legal team representing Shamani, led by Senior Advocate Diya Kapur and Advocate Nakul Gandhi, presented compelling evidence showing how AI-generated deepfakes were falsely portraying the influencer as endorsing a cricket-betting channel. This misrepresentation posed serious risks to Shamani's reputation and professional credibility.
Multiple Forms of Identity Misuse Uncovered
During the court proceedings, Shamani's lawyers detailed several disturbing instances of identity misuse beyond the deepfake videos. The investigation revealed that certain websites were illegally using his name to claim he was available for corporate event bookings without his consent.
More alarmingly, the court learned about fake chatbots operating on Telegram channels that were impersonating Shamani. These AI-powered bots were falsely presenting themselves as the podcaster, offering cryptocurrency advice and soliciting funds from unsuspecting users while using his image and name.
Additional infringements included YouTube channels that were systematically reposting Shamani's original content after removing the show's logo and name. These channels went as far as hiding the show's name that appears emblazoned on the microphones during recordings.
Satirical Content Receives Legal Protection
In a nuanced approach to digital content regulation, Justice Arora made an important distinction between malicious deepfakes and protected speech. The court explicitly refrained from granting an ex parte interim injunction against memes and other content falling under satire, criticism, or parody categories.
Justice Arora observed that such content requires separate legal action through a proper suit if maintainable under law, allowing for proper adjudication after hearing all parties involved. The judge remarked, "You're a public persona, I think you've to give that much leeway," acknowledging the different treatment required for satirical material versus fraudulent representations.
The court also addressed the issue of Shamani's trademarked hashtag 'Figuring Out,' derived from his popular show name. While Kapur highlighted unauthorized use of the hashtag as part of the infringing activities, Justice Arora orally noted that the court couldn't restrain its use ex parte without hearing the defendants.
This ruling sets an important precedent in the evolving landscape of digital rights and personality protection in India, balancing the need to combat fraudulent AI-generated content while preserving space for legitimate satire and criticism in the digital ecosystem.
