The Delhi High Court, under Justice Mini Pushkarna, has issued an injunction demanding the immediate removal of deepfake videos from Facebook that falsely depict Dr. Naresh Trehan, the chairperson of Medanta Hospital, endorsing unverified natural remedies for various urological conditions. The order, issued on January 8, targets videos created with sophisticated AI technology that infringe on intellectual property and personality rights.
These deepfakes showed Dr. Trehan, a distinguished cardiothoracic surgeon, promoting treatments for conditions like prostatitis and erectile dysfunction—remedies he has never endorsed. The plaintiffs argued that the videos not only misled the public but also seriously undermined Dr. Trehan’s credibility and the trust placed in him by the medical community.
“The misuse of Dr. Trehan’s identity and the false endorsements presented in these videos pose significant health risks to the public and damage the professional reputations of both Dr. Trehan and Medanta Hospital,” stated the plaintiffs in their petition. They emphasized the potential for these videos to erode public confidence and spread misinformation.
Justice Pushkarna’s ruling highlighted the urgency of addressing the situation, granting an ex parte ad interim injunction that prevents further damage. “The plaintiffs have demonstrated a prima facie case for the grant of injunction. Without immediate action, there would be irreparable loss, with the balance of convenience favoring the plaintiffs over the defendants,” the justice noted.
In a significant move, the court also approved a dynamic injunction, allowing for the quick removal of any additional deepfake content featuring Dr. Trehan that may surface during the lawsuit. Platforms are required to act within 36 hours upon receiving notification of such content.
The legal team for the plaintiffs, led by Senior Advocate Shyel Trehan and including advocates Manjira Dasgupta, Bhargav R Thali, and Vignesh Raj, argued that the AI technologies used, such as photoshopping and voice manipulation, were intended to exploit Dr. Trehan’s esteemed reputation for commercial benefits by duping consumers into purchasing unverified, potentially harmful medical products.
