Legal Victory for Raj Shamani
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has issued an interim order protecting YouTube influencer and podcaster Raj Shamani from unauthorized use of his identity across various online platforms. This ruling prevents businesses and anonymous entities from exploiting his name, voice, image, and trademarked podcast content for profit.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, presiding over a single-judge bench, granted this ex parte relief in response to a lawsuit filed by Shamani and his company. The suit addresses issues such as trademark infringement, copyright breaches, impersonation, fake endorsements, AI-generated deepfakes, and unauthorized reproductions of his acclaimed podcast series, ‘Figuring Out’.
Shamani, who boasts a massive following of over 22.4 million and numerous international accolades, informed the court that various platforms, including booking sites and channels utilizing AI deepfake technology, were misusing his persona without permission.
His legal representative emphasized Shamani’s prominence as a public figure, highlighting his significant influence and brand partnerships.
In the court’s findings, Justice Arora acknowledged the presence of various infringing materials, including AI-generated deepfakes, fraudulent booking portals, and channels reposting his copyrighted podcast segments.
The court recognized that Shamani’s personality traits, including his name, likeness, voice, and image, are protected under personality and publicity rights.
“Plaintiff No. 1 is entitled to seek an injunction against the use of his personality rights by third parties for their commercial gains,” the court stated, warning that distorted or inappropriate content could harm his reputation.
The Delhi High Court ordered the removal of infringing content across six specified platforms, including Meta, Google, YouTube, and Telegram.
According to the ruling, all unidentified entities (John Does) responsible for uploading deepfakes or unauthorized clips must disclose their Basic Subscriber Information (BSI) to the plaintiffs.
Additionally, the court has prohibited Defendants 1 to 5, 10, 16, 19, and 20 from misusing or exploiting Shamani’s identity or trademarks.
The case is set to proceed before the Joint Registrar for service completion and pleadings on December 24, 2025, with a return to the Bench scheduled for April 24, 2026.
