Delhi HC Defers Hearing On Gambhir’s Plea Over Deepfake Misuse; Court Flags Errors, Seeks Revised Filing
Justice Jyoti Singh directs Gautam Gambhir to correct discrepancies in defendants’ details, submit amended memo before matter is heard again on March 23.
Published : March 20, 2026 at 4:09 PM IST
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday deferred the hearing on a plea filed by Indian cricket team head coach and former MP Gautam Gambhir, seeking protection of his personality rights against alleged misuse through AI and deepfake content.
A single-judge Bench of Justice Jyoti Singh directed Gambhir to correct discrepancies in his petition and file an amended memo of parties. The matter will now be heard on March 23.
The court noted inconsistencies in the description of the defendants and asked the petitioner to file a corrected memo in line with the main plea.
Deepfake Content And Misleading Claims
Gambhir’s counsel said misleading and unauthorised content is being circulated without consent, including fake claims about his resignation and fabricated videos involving players.
The plea alleges a coordinated campaign of digital impersonation using AI tools such as face-swapping and voice cloning, with a sharp rise in such content across platforms including Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube and Facebook.
It also cites viral deepfake videos, including a fake resignation clip with over 29 lakh views and another misleading video on senior cricketers that garnered more than 17 lakh views.
Unauthorised Commercial Use Alleged
The plea further claims that Gambhir’s identity, including his name, face and voice, is being commercially exploited without consent. It alleges that e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart are enabling the sale of merchandise using his likeness.
The suit has been filed before the Commercial Division against 16 defendants, including social media accounts, platforms such as Meta, X and Google (YouTube), as well as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Telecommunications, as pro forma parties.
Relief Sought In Plea
Gambhir has sought a permanent injunction restraining all defendants from using his identity, whether through AI or otherwise, without his consent. He has also sought damages of Rs 2.5 crore, removal of infringing content and related disclosures.
An application seeking interim relief, including blocking and takedown of such content, has also been filed.
Similar Cases In The High Court
The Delhi High Court has previously granted protection of personality rights to several public figures, including Baba Ramdev, Kajol, Vivek Oberoi, Pawan Kalyan, Sunil Gavaskar, Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Jaya Bachchan, Sudhir Chaudhary, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Nagarjuna, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Karan Johar.
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