The Delhi High Court has directed Meta Inc. and Google Inc. to take down multiple Facebook pages and YouTube channels which had posted deepfake videos of India TV Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Rajat Sharma. In her decree of permanent injunction issued dated August 24, 2026, Justice Jyoti Singh wrote, "Concerned defendants (Meta and Google) shall acknowledge the request within 24 hours and take action within 36 hours thereafter. In case the concerned defendants do not act upon the request made, plaintiffs (Rajat Sharma and India TV) shall be at liberty to approach the Court to seek appropriate directions in that regard."
The Facebook pages are TAMARA DOC, Indian Medical Association, New Convivio, Travinin, The Hope of Your Joints, LEGEND MAP 62, and MESONERO SOTO. The YouTube channels are THE INDIAN NEWS TODAY and Sone Chandi Ka Bhav.
In her decree, Justice Jyoti Singh wrote, "Plaintiff No. 1 (Rajat Sharma) is a renowned journalist and has been the face of Indian television for over two decades with an impeccable reputation, both in India and abroad. Plaintiff No. 1 is the recipient of several awards for his contribution to the field of journalism in India, including the Padma Bhushan in 2015 in recognition of his service in the field of literature and education. Plaintiff No. 1 has been hosting India's most successful, longest-running television show, 'Aap Ki Adalat,' for the last 29 years, besides many other popular shows on television."
The High Court said: The defendants "were perpetuating gross misinformation, including through wrongful use of AI technology for the creation of doctored videos bearing distorted, modified, and modulated images/voice and other personality traits of Plaintiff No. 1 as well as unauthorised use and infringement of registered INDIA TV trademarks of Plaintiff No. 2 and copyright violation."
Justice Jyoti Singh wrote, "Plaintiffs filed the present suit and by ex parte order dated 18.12.2024, defendants No. 1 to 8 (TAMARA DOC, Indian Medical Association, New Convivio, 'Bharat Me Chikitsa Samachar', Travinin, The Hope of Your Joints, LEGEND MAP 62 and MESONERO SOTO) were restrained.
The decree says: "During the pendency of the suit, Defendants No. 13 to 16 (four YouTube channels, THE REAL REPORT, THE INDIAN NEWS TODAY, JSR NEWS and Sone Chandi Ka Bhav) were impleaded, which were YouTube channels circulating deepfake videos, unauthorizedly using various personality attributes of Plaintiff No. 1."
The High Court order says, "On November 7, 2025, the Court recorded the statement of Defendant No. 17 (Google Inc) that on October 30, 2024, acting on the complaint and after reviewing the accounts of YouTube channels operated by Defendants No. 13 and 15 (The Real Report and JSR News), the accounts were terminated while the accounts of Defendants No. 14 and 16 (The Indian News Today and Sone Chandi Ke Bhav) were still under review."
"Court directed Google Inc to take down YouTube channels (The Indian News Today and Sone Chandi Ke Bhav) within 36 hours from the order being uploaded, as also to disclose available BSI (basic subscriber information), IP logs and other access/contact details," the order said.
The court noted that most of the defendants were served notices, but they did not file written statements, and accordingly, on July 15, 2026, their rights to file written statements were closed by the Joint Registrar.
The court said, "Liberty is granted to the Plaintiffs (Rajat Sharma and India TV) to seek declaration of INDIA TV trademarks as well-known within the meaning of Section 2(1)(zg) of the 1999 Act in a subsequent suit."
The court directed that "Plaintiffs shall be at liberty to approach Meta Platforms Inc. and Google LLC, copying their respective counsels on record with the relevant details of any subsequent discovered URLs and/or content as applicable, relating to the subject matter of the present suit including direct or indirect misuse, misappropriation or exploitation of the name, likeness, image, voice, photos, videos or any other aspect of Plaintiff No. 1’s persona, which amounts to infringement of his personality and publicity rights and/or his copyright and trademark. Plaintiffs shall provide the defendants with supporting particulars/documents demonstrating that such URLs and/or content, as applicable, form the subject matter of the present suit, on an affidavit."
