Delhi High Court ordered Meta to remove AI deepfakes and fake speeches of Kangana Ranaut within 72 hours
The Delhi High Court granted actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut interim protection of her personality rights, after she alleged that AI-generated deepfakes, morphed images, manipulated audio-visual material and fabricated speeches depicting her were circulating online, some of it sexually explicit. In an order dated October 8, Justice Vikas Mahajan directed Meta Platforms to take down the identified content within 72 hours. The court also told India's IT ministry and telecom department to have internet and telecom providers block the identified websites. Unidentified John Doe defendants were restrained from creating or spreading AI-generated content impersonating her, and the matter returns to court on February 3, 2027.
What the AI did
Kangana Ranaut alleged that unidentified people used AI to create deepfakes, morphed images, manipulated audio and video, and fabricated speeches depicting her. The court noted that some of the content appeared to be sexually explicit material generated through AI or manipulation. It has not been reported which AI tool was used.
First reported October 12, 2026 · Added to the register October 20, 2026 · 1 source
- Affected
- Kangana Ranaut
- Country
- India
- When it happened
- Not stated in the sources
- First reported
- October 12, 2026
What this means for you
Could this affect you?
If you host user content online or manage the image of a public figure or brand. Public figures whose likeness and voice are cloned with AI are exposed, as are platforms hosting such content, which can be ordered by a court to remove it within deadlines as short as 72 hours.
What to check
- Prepare to act quickly on court takedown orders covering deepfakes and impersonation accounts.
- Track and remove follow-up web addresses added to takedown orders later.
- Monitor for AI impersonation of your brand or public figures.
- Keep evidence such as fact-check reports to support legal relief.
Areas of your AI programme this touches
Every fact and its source (6)
- Takedown order to MetaMeta must remove identified content within 72 hours“within 72 hours of being served a copy of the order”[1]
- Judge and orderJustice Vikas Mahajan, order dated October 8“Justice Vikas Mahajan, in an order dated October 8, directed Meta Platforms Inc”[1]
- Court finding on deepfakesProtection extends to AI-generated, morphed and explicit deepfakes“The court held that such protection also extended to AI-generated, morphed, sexual and explicit deepfake content.”[1]
- Compliance deadlineCompliance affidavits within two weeks“Both Meta and the government departments have been directed to file compliance affidavits within two weeks.”[1]
- Next court hearingFebruary 3, 2027“before the court on February 3, 2027”[1]
- Defendants who complied earlyTwo defendants took down material and were deleted from the suit“two defendants had taken down the disputed material after receiving an advance copy of the suit”[1]
Sources
- Kangana Ranaut Gets Personality Rights Protection; Delhi HC Orders Meta To Remove AI Deepfakes And Fake Speeches Within 72 Hoursfreepressjournal.in · October 12, 2026
How this record is classified. Severity N: a legal action or test finding, not a harm. Evidence: Confirmed, meaning a company, official or court statement.
The facts in At a glance and in Every fact and its source are quoted from the sources listed. The summary, What the AI did and What this means for you are written from those sources and checked against them automatically before publication. Records reflect what has been disclosed, not everything that has happened. Incidents are found through news feeds and the GDELT Project.
