Shilpa Shetty gets relief from HC in personality rights case
What's the story
Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra has received a major legal victory in her personality rights case. The Bombay High Court has ordered that her name, image, voice, likeness, or persona cannot be used or misrepresented in any way by the defendants. The court also directed the immediate removal of defamatory and infringing content from various platforms.
Legal implications
'Internet cannot become a playground for deepfakes'
Sana Raees Khan, Shetty Kundra's lawyer, said in a statement, "The Bombay High Court has made it absolutely clear in Ms Shilpa Shetty's personality rights case that the internet cannot become a playground for deepfakes and digital impersonation." "The Court has protected her personality rights and acknowledged that her name, image, voice, and persona are valuable legal rights which cannot be commercially exploited or digitally manipulated without her consent."
AI concerns
Court's concern over AI tools misusing celebrities' images
Last week, the court raised concerns over artificial intelligence tools that mimic celebrity personalities without their consent. The matter was heard by Justice Sharmila Deshmukh. Shetty Kundra had sought restrictions on several platforms accused of hosting or facilitating such content, where her deepfakes were allegedly used without her consent. The court had questioned the platform's legality and asked it to file a detailed response explaining its position.
Legal troubles
Shetty Kundra denies involvement in ₹60cr fraud case
In a separate legal matter, Shetty Kundra has denied any involvement in a ₹60cr fraud case linked to the now-defunct home-shopping platform Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd. The Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) registered a cheating case against her and her husband, Raj Kundra, following a complaint by a businessman. However, Shetty Kundra called the allegations "baseless and motivated."