New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday passed an interim order directing the removal of allegedly infringing online content targeting Alakh Pandey, CEO and Founder of edtech platform Physics Wallah, in a suit seeking protection of his personality and publicity rights against the unauthorised use of his name, image and identity across digital platforms.
A single-judge Bench of Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani issued summons in the suit and said a detailed order, setting out the reasons and specifying the nature of the content directed to be taken down, would be passed separately.
Appearing for Pandey, senior advocate J. Sai Deepak handed over to the court a tabulated compilation of the allegedly infringing URLs, categorising them into three broad heads — vulgar, obscene, and sexually explicit content; content commercially exploiting Pandey’s personality rights; and content impersonating him.
After considering the submissions, the Delhi High Court granted interim protection in respect of certain URLs and restrained the defendants from continuing to host the infringing content.
Justice Bhambhani also directed Google, X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and LinkedIn to furnish basic subscriber information relating to the URLs and websites identified in the suit to enable Pandey to pursue appropriate legal remedies.
The matter has been listed for further hearing in November.
Pandey has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality and publicity rights against the alleged unauthorised use of his name, likeness, image and identity across digital platforms.
The case adds to a growing list of high-profile personalities invoking their personality and publicity rights before the Delhi High Court. In recent months, former cricketer and current head coach Gautam Gambhir, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, actors Arjun Kapoor, Allu Arjun, Nagarjuna, Varun Dhawan, Kajol, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. and Abhishek Bachchan, singer Jubin Nautiyal, filmmaker Karan Johar, podcaster Raj Shamani, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, and actor Ravi Kishan have secured or sought court protection against the unauthorised use of their identity, likeness, or AI-generated imitations.
(IANS)
