Delhi High Court grants personality rights protection to Aman Gupta in landmark AI misuse case

In a significant development at the intersection of celebrity rights, artificial intelligence misuse, and India’s evolving digital legal framework, the Delhi High Court has granted interim personality rights protection to Aman Gupta, co-founder of boAT Lifestyle and a prominent public figure from Shark Tank India.

The court passed a broad ex parte ad interim injunction restraining over 44 defendants from exploiting Gupta’s name, image, voice, likeness, and overall persona without authorisation. The case marks a notable shift in India’s legal landscape, extending protections traditionally associated with film stars and athletes to startup founders with high public visibility.

Gupta had alleged widespread misuse of his identity across digital platforms, including fake endorsements, unauthorised merchandise, AI-generated impersonations, and misleading online content. The order, issued by Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, addresses a wide spectrum of violations—from deepfake pornographic material and fraudulent speaker booking websites to Telegram bots impersonating the entrepreneur.

Recognising the commercial and reputational value of Gupta’s persona, the court directed intermediaries, including Google LLC, to remove infringing content and disclose details of certain accounts involved in the violations.

While Indian courts have acknowledged personality and publicity rights in the past, this case stands out for involving a new-age entrepreneur whose public image has been built through digital media, brand-building, and television exposure rather than traditional entertainment avenues.

The ruling reflects a broader shift in India’s media and startup ecosystem, where founders are increasingly seen as public personalities with monetisable identity assets. As personal branding becomes central to business growth, legal considerations around ownership, consent, and commercial use of identity are gaining prominence.

The court has directed the defendants to file their written statements within 30 days of receiving summons. The matter will next be heard by the Joint Registrar (Judicial) on August 3, 2026, followed by a court hearing on October 1, 2026.