New Delhi— The Delhi High Court has directed Google LLC to remove two YouTube channels accused of circulating deepfake and fabricated videos impersonating senior journalist Rajat Sharma. The court ordered that the channels be taken down within 36 hours, calling the content a serious violation of personality rights and a tool for spreading misinformation.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, while hearing Sharma’s plea, noted that the videos were “fake, doctored, and AI-generated,” using Sharma’s likeness without authorization. The court said that a clear case had been made for immediate action against the channels, which were found hosting manipulated content to mislead the public.
In addition to the takedown order, the court instructed Google to share the Business Services Information (BSI), access and contact details, and monetisation data of the channels with Sharma within a week. It also directed both parties to hold a meeting to help Google identify and remove similar content swiftly.
The court further emphasized that Google must proactively delete identical or derivative videos to prevent Sharma from having to manually locate such content. “The action is essential not only to safeguard the plaintiff’s rights but also to curb the spread of misinformation,” the order stated.
Sharma’s counsel argued that the two channels had been “rogue,” dedicated solely to fabricating content around the journalist and other Indian media figures. They had allegedly lifted copyrighted footage from Sharma’s news channel, edited it, and circulated it to mislead viewers.
The High Court allowed Sharma to approach Google again if any similar fake videos appear in the future, directing the platform to act within 48 hours of receiving such requests.
This ruling follows an earlier interim order in which another bench had already restrained the publication of doctored videos impersonating Rajat Sharma and directed their prompt removal from online platforms.
