The Delhi High Court has ordered the removal of infringing and defamatory content targeting Raj Shamani, including AI-generated misuse of his likeness. The ruling strengthens personality rights and sets a strong precedent for digital identity protection in India.
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NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has granted interim protection to podcaster and entrepreneur Raj Shamani, directing social media platforms to remove defamatory and unauthorised posts, including AI-generated and deepfake content, targeting him.
The order, passed by Justice Manmeet PS Arora on November 17, recognizes Shamani as a well-known public figure in India’s content creation industry, with established goodwill and reputation. The court made the ruling public on Thursday.
Court’s Observation
The High Court held that Shamani’s name, image, voice, likeness, and other personality traits are integral elements of his identity and are legally protectable. Any unauthorised commercial use of these attributes, especially without consent, constitutes infringement.
“The plaintiff is entitled to protect himself against morphed and distorted content which is defaming, demeaning, or patently false,”
the court observed.
This establishes a crucial precedent amid rising misuse of influencers’ identities through AI-generated content and deepfakes.
The court issued directions to multiple social media entities to:
- Block, remove, or take down infringing posts
- Restrict AI-generated or manipulated content that misuses Shamani’s likeness
- Prevent further dissemination of defamatory material
This marks one of the clearest judicial interventions against AI-based impersonation in India.
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Shamani’s popular podcast, “Figuring Out with Raj Shamani,” also received strong legal protection under:
- Copyright law – protecting the podcast content and exclusive communication rights
- Trademark law – safeguarding the registered mark “FIGURING OUT”
The court restrained the defendants from:
- Using the trademark “Figuring Out”
- Hosting, streaming, or sharing Shamani’s podcast content without authorization
This protects both the creative and brand identity associated with the widely followed podcast.
Suit Filed for Permanent Injunction
Shamani’s plaint has been formally registered as a suit seeking:
- Permanent injunction against unauthorised commercial use
- Protection from trademark infringement
- Prevention of copyright violations
- Enforcement of personality/publicity rights
- Protection of performers’ rights
The matter is scheduled for the next hearing on April 24, 2026.
ALSO READ: Delhi High Court Protects Singer Kumar Sanu’s Personality Rights And Publicity Rights
Shamani is not alone. The Delhi High Court has recently granted interim relief to several major Indian celebrities, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar, Kumar Sanu, Akkineni Nagarjuna, Ravi Shankar and Sudhir Chaudhary. All have approached the court seeking protection of their publicity and personality rights, especially in the age of rampant AI and deepfake misuse.
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