Delhi HC agrees to hear plea seeking takedown of alleged deepfake image linked to CJP protest

New Delhi [India], September 25 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Thursday agreed to hear urgently a criminal writ petition seeking removal, blocking and takedown of an allegedly morphed or deepfake image of a woman shown alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which the petitioner claims was displayed during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar and subsequently circulated on social media.
The petition names Saurav Das, Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Ratna Singh as respondents and seeks directions to social media platforms and other online platforms to remove and block the alleged deepfake and explicit material.
The court was informed that an FIR had already been registered in connection with the allegations. According to the petition, the FIR was registered at the Cyber Police Station, New Delhi, on September 24, 2026, under provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The petitioner has also sought police protection and directions to safeguard her life and physical safety.
The plea seeks directions to the authorities and Meta Platforms to trace, block and remove the alleged morphed material from social media networks, pornographic websites, mirror domains and other platforms where the petitioner alleges that the image was uploaded.
The petitioner has further sought an expeditious investigation into the FIR, including tracing the alleged digital trail, securing electronic evidence, identifying other persons allegedly involved in uploading or circulating the material and filing periodic status reports before the High Court.
According to the petition, the woman alleges that her photograph was used without her consent and digitally altered using AI face-swapping technology to create an objectionable image alongside the Prime Minister. She further alleges that banners carrying the image were displayed during a CJP protest at Jantar Mantar and that videos of the alleged display were subsequently circulated on social media.
The petition also alleges that the circulation of the material was followed by threatening and abusive messages being sent to the petitioner, prompting her to seek protection from the authorities.
These allegations form part of the petition and have not been adjudicated by the High Court.
The petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution read with Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), seeking urgent judicial intervention concerning the alleged deepfake and non-consensual imagery, along with protection of the petitioner's life, liberty and bodily integrity.
The case comes amid several ongoing legal proceedings linked to the CJP's protests at Jantar Mantar. The Delhi High Court has recently heard other matters involving CJP members, including a defamation suit filed by senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia against CJP leaders over an allegedly AI-generated post.
The Supreme Court has also been hearing proceedings concerning the July CJP protests and has directed protection for a 14-year-old protestor and her family following allegations of harassment and threats. (ANI)