The Delhi High Court has granted interim protection to playback singer Kumar Sanu, restraining a range of parties from using his name, image, voice or likeness for commercial purposes without permission. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, hearing the suit in CS(COMM) 1097/2025, found at the prima facie stage that the singer has built considerable goodwill and reputation over a long career and is entitled to protect those personality attributes from misuse.
The suit, brought against multiple AI platforms, social media intermediaries, e-commerce sellers and other digital entities, alleges widespread unauthorized exploitation of Kumar Sanu’s persona. According to the plaintiff’s counsel, Ms. Sana Raees Khan, the defendants include AI services generating synthetic recordings that imitate the singer, platforms hosting or circulating such material, websites selling products using his name, and GIF and merchandise vendors leveraging his image without consent. The complaint highlights modern tools such as machine learning, face morphing and other synthetic media techniques used to recreate, distort or commercialize his voice and likeness.
Justice Arora noted earlier precedents and recent Delhi High Court decisions that recognize the commercial value of publicity rights and the special harms caused by misappropriation of a celebrity’s identity. The court referenced the September 17, 2025 judgment in Karan Johar vs. Ashok Kumar and other Delhi decisions that have affirmed proprietary protection for a celebrity’s name, image, voice and associated attributes. On the record before it, the court concluded that Kumar Sanu had established a prima facie case and that the balance of convenience favored interim relief to prevent irreparable harm to his reputation.
The interim order is wide in scope. The court restrained specified AI platforms and content hosts from using Kumar Sanu’s attributes to create or distribute merchandise or content, whether generated by AI or via other technological means. AI platforms named in the order were directed to take down infringing material; Google and Meta were ordered to remove infringing content and to provide basic subscriber information and IP logs within three weeks. The court also required Google and Meta to act on future takedown requests within 48 hours, or raise objections within the same timeframe. Online marketplaces and sellers identified in the suit were directed to delist or remove infringing merchandise within set timelines. The Ministries of Electronics and IT and of Telecommunications were directed to require ISPs to suspend infringing links, websites and mobile apps.
Counsel for major intermediaries told the court they would comply with directions. Google’s counsel noted takedown requests filed on October 13, 2025 and clarified ownership links for certain services. Meta reported several URLs had become unavailable after the plaintiff’s complaint. Flipkart, Amazon and other respondents accepted notice and agreed to follow court directions.
The court’s reasoning centers on two linked themes: first, that celebrity status can be protected as a proprietary interest in personality attributes; and second, that modern technology makes quick and convincing impersonation or distortion possible, increasing the risk of reputational and commercial harm. Justice Arora explicitly recognized that morphing, synthetic voice reproduction and GIFs can be deployed in ways that are demeaning or misleading, and held that the plaintiff is entitled to protection from such misuse at this stage of the litigation.
This is an interim, ex parte ad-interim order. It establishes immediate controls on the listed defendants and sets deadlines for takedowns and data disclosure, but the final outcome will depend on the full hearing of the suit and any defenses the parties raise. For now, the order signals the court’s readiness to apply existing personality-rights principles to new technological contexts and to require platforms and intermediaries to act promptly when faced with credible claims of unauthorized commercial exploitation.
Case Title: Kumar Sanu Bhattacharjee vs. Jammable Limited & Ors. [CS(COMM) 1097/2025 & I.As. 25443-47/2025]
About – Court News Local Law
Court News Local Law is a trusted legal news network with over 11 years of experience in India’s judicial reporting. Our team of advocates and legal professionals covers Supreme Court and High Court judgments, Tribunal and Commission updates, and legal news in Hindi. We specialize in civil, criminal, and writ matters, ensuring every report is accurate, transparent, and reliable.
For any legal query, contact the Local Law Network on WhatsApp at 9424165741 | किसी भी कानूनी सवाल लिए Local Law Network से WhatsApp पर संपर्क करें : 9424165741
