Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of India and a former member of parliament, has petitioned the Delhi High Court for immediate relief from alleged widespread identity theft via deepfakes, artificial intelligence, and unapproved commercial exploitation.
Several social media accounts, middlemen, and e-commerce platforms are named as defendants in the High Court petition. The petitioner has filed a lawsuit to get a permanent injunction prohibiting all defendants from utilizing or abusing his name, picture, voice, or persona without his express permission.
Additionally, he has called for an immediate ex-parte ad-interim injunction that would order the removal of all infringing content and prohibit its further distribution while a final decision is being made. Gambhir has also requested rendition of accounts and damages totaling Rs 2.5 crore.
Gambhir has argued that from late 2025, there has been a dramatic increase in fake digital content that falsely portrays him expressing statements he never made utilizing AI techniques like voice cloning and face-swapping.
The appeal claims that some of these films, which included a fake resignation announcement and made-up comments about prominent cricketers, had lakhs of views, deceiving the public and harming his reputation.
The petitioner has also claimed that his identity has been used for profit by selling illegal goods on online marketplaces without authorization or a license.
16 defendants have been named in the lawsuit, including e-commerce companies, intermediaries like platform operators, and specific social media accounts. In order to guarantee that any court orders are effectively enforced, government agencies have also been arrayed as pro forma parties.
The petition relies on court rulings that acknowledge personality and publicity rights as enforceable legal rights, especially in the context of AI-driven misuse, and invokes provisions under the Copyright Act, Trade Marks Act, and Commercial Courts Act.
Gambhir has highlighted the gravity of the situation by claiming that anonymous accounts have “weaponized” his identity in order to disseminate false information and make money. He emphasizes that the issue goes beyond personal injury and raises more general concerns about legal protection and dignity in the era of artificial intelligence.
The Delhi High Court is anticipated to hear the case in the upcoming days in order to consider temporary relief.
