Delhi HC Orders Meta to Pull Morphed Images, Issues Notices to CJP Leaders
Delhi High Court orders Meta to remove morphed images of a woman within 24 hours and issues notices to four CJP leaders in a deepfake case.
The Delhi High Court on Friday directed social media platform Meta to take down all objectionable images and links connected to a woman whose photograph was allegedly morphed and circulated online, ordering compliance within 24 hours.
The court also issued notices to four leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) — Saurav Das, Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Ratna Singh — in connection with the matter. The development follows the registration of a case against unidentified persons a day earlier, after the woman alleged that her image was manipulated and shared without her consent during protests held at Jantar Mantar earlier this year.
Granting relief to the petitioner, the High Court mandated police protection for the woman and issued a notice to the Delhi Police on her plea. The police have been directed to submit a status report within two weeks.
Justice Girish Kathpalia, hearing the matter, observed that the case carried wider significance. "This is an extraordinary position in which the matter is not of one woman, it is a matter about the Prime Minister of the country. If they are not sensitive, I will make sure that they are sensitive," the court said.
According to the woman's complaint, her photograph was superimposed with an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi using artificial intelligence and face-swapping technology. She alleged that the altered image was displayed on large banners and posters during the protest, that indecent slogans were raised, and that a video containing the image was circulated on social media, particularly Instagram.
The complaint named CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke and Saurav Das, among others. However, the FIR registered by the Delhi Police did not list Dipke, Das or Ranka as accused, and the case currently names only unknown persons.