Full Breakdown
Delhi High Court Orders Immediate Removal of Deepfake Image Featuring Prime Minister Modi and Issues Police Protection
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Court Directs Meta to Delete Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Generated Image and Grants Protection to Plaintiff
On a recent Friday, the Delhi High Court directed Meta Platforms to delete, within 24 hours, online material that allegedly shows a woman’s face superimposed onto a vulgar image alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The bench also ordered the Delhi Police to provide the woman with full protection after she reported death and rape threats linked to the circulation of the deepfake. Justice Girish Kathpalia emphasized that the matter concerns not only the individual woman but also the Prime Minister, warning that the police must act sensitively.
Background & Context: CJP Protests and Alleged AI Manipulation
The deepfake allegedly originated during protests organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The agitation began on June 20 and continued for more than a month, ending on July 25. Protest organizers displayed large banners and posted videos that, according to the plaintiff, featured the morphed image. She claims her personal photograph was harvested without consent and altered using AI face-swapping tools.
Key Figures & Groups
- Justice Girish Kathpalia – Delhi High Court judge who issued the orders.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi – Subject of the deepfake.
- The plaintiff (unnamed woman) – Alleged victim of the AI-generated image and threats.
- Saurav Das, Abhijit Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, Ratna Singh – CJP leaders named in the petition.
- Meta Platforms – Ordered to delete the content.
- Delhi Police – Directed to provide protection and file a status report on the FIR.
Timeline
- June 20 – CJP-led protest at Jantar Mantar begins.
- July 25 – Protest movement called off.
- Friday (date not specified) – Court issues removal order, police protection directive, and notices to CJP leaders.
- October 14 – Matter listed for further hearing; plaintiff to submit exact address for police protection.
Data & Statistics
- Four CJP leaders were issued notices.
- Meta was given a 24-hour deadline to remove the identified images and related links.
- The court instructed the police to file a status report within one week (some reports say two weeks) on actions taken under the FIR.
Official Statements & Responses
- Justice Girish Kathpalia described the petition as “extraordinary” because it implicates the Prime Minister and warned that the court would ensure police sensitivity.
- Plaintiff’s counsel, Advocate Umesh Sharma, argued that despite an FIR, no effective steps had been taken to apprehend those responsible or block the content.
- Delhi Police confirmed an FIR had been lodged and pledged to act quickly, committing to submit a detailed status report within the court-prescribed timeframe.
- Meta Platforms received a copy of the court’s directions and was instructed to receive URLs from the investigating officer to facilitate removal.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact timeframe for the police’s status report: some mention a one-week deadline, others cite two weeks. No public information has been provided about arrests or concrete actions beyond the FIR filing.
What’s Next: Upcoming Hearing and Ongoing Enforcement
The court has scheduled a further hearing for October 14, at which the plaintiff must provide her precise residential address to enable police protection. The Delhi Police must submit a status report on the FIR, and Meta must confirm removal of the deepfake content within the stipulated 24-hour window.