The Delhi High Court has granted interim personality rights protection to Aman Gupta in a significant ruling involving AI misuse, deepfakes, fake endorsements, and digital impersonation.
The ex parte ad interim injunction, passed on May 7, 2026, restrains more than 44 defendants from using Gupta’s name, image, voice, likeness, or overall persona without authorisation. The order covers a wide range of alleged violations, including AI-generated deepfake content, fake advertisements, unauthorised merchandise, impersonation through social media and messaging platforms, and fraudulent speaker booking websites.
The court acknowledged the commercial and reputational value attached to Gupta’s public identity, especially considering his visibility as the co-founder of boAt Lifestyle, founder of OFF/BEAT, and one of the prominent faces of Shark Tank India.
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela directed intermediaries, including Google, to remove infringing content and disclose details related to certain accounts involved in the alleged misuse.
The case is being viewed as an important development in India’s evolving personality rights landscape, particularly because it extends legal protections beyond traditional celebrities and athletes to startup founders and digital entrepreneurs with strong public identities.
The ruling also highlights growing concerns around AI-generated impersonation and misuse of personal identity in the digital era. As founders increasingly build public-facing brands alongside their businesses, legal experts believe personality rights and identity protection will become more critical across India’s startup and creator ecosystem.
The defendants have been directed to file written responses within 30 days. The matter is scheduled for further proceedings later this year before the Delhi High Court.
