High Court
Bombay High Court suspends Salman Khan’s five-year sentence
NEW DELHI: A large number of filmmakers in Mumbai heaved a sigh of relief when the Bombay High Court stayed the five-year sentence imposed on actor Salman Khan by a Sessions court two days earlier for killing a homeless man in a 2002 hit-and-run case.
The 49-year old actor was however asked by the High Court to re-apply for fresh bail before the Sessions Court.
Khan had managed to get a two-day reprieve on 6 May itself on the ground that the judgment had not been made available to him.
High Court judge A M Thipsay suspended Khan’s sentence after an initial hearing on his appeal at which the superstar’s lawyers argued that the trial court had not considered all the evidence on hand during the trial.
Had he gone to jail, Bollywood sources said around six films would have been affected as they are already in the pipeline and have an investment of more than Rs 200 crore.
The dead man, 38-year-old Noor Ullah Khan, was among five people who were run over in the incident. Late on the night of 28 September, 2002, Khan’s Toyota Land Cruiser hit the American Express bakery in the Bandra area of Mumbai.
Khan was arrested on 28 September, 2002, and released the same day. He was charged under Section 304 (2) with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, a charge that was struck down by the Bombay High Court in 2003. This Bombay High Court order was set aside by the Supreme Court in 2003, paving the way for the case to being re-examined.
Khan had sought to say his driver was behind the wheel, but Sessions Judge DW Deshpande said the actor was driving the car and was under the influence of alcohol at the time.
One of Bollywood’s busiest stars having appeared in more than 80 Hindi-language films, Khan’s jail sentence is bound to affect the film projects he was working in.
Known for turning out at least one hit every year, Khan’s films like Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger, Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aap Ke Hain Kaun have been huge commercial hits.
The prosecution alleged that Khan had been driving the car while drunk, both of which charges the actor denied in court in March. But many witnesses disagreed.
A constable attached to Khan’s security detail had said in a statement to the police that the “drunk” actor had lost control of the car. The policeman died in 2007 of tuberculosis.
High Court
Bombay HC likely to protect Kartik Aaryan’s personality rights
Actor seeks Rs 15 crore damages over AI misuse, deepfakes and merch
MUMBAI: In an age where faces can be faked and voices cloned, even stardom needs legal armour. The Bombay High Court has indicated it will pass an order safeguarding the personality and publicity rights of Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan, following allegations of widespread digital misuse of his identity.
The matter, heard by Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh, centres on a plea filed by Aaryan seeking a broad John Doe injunction against 16 defendants, including e-commerce platforms, social media intermediaries and unidentified entities. The court noted the concerns raised and said appropriate orders would be issued.
At the heart of the case lies the growing threat of artificial intelligence-driven impersonation. Aaryan’s petition flags multiple instances of deepfake content circulating across platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, where his likeness has allegedly been used to create fabricated videos, including false romantic link-ups and objectionable scenarios designed to drive engagement.
In one particularly alarming example, the actor’s legal filing cites AI-generated visuals that falsely associate him with controversial global figures, including Jeffrey Epstein. The plea argues that such content not only misleads audiences but also causes serious reputational damage.
The concerns extend beyond content to commerce. The suit alleges that unauthorised merchandise bearing Aaryan’s name and image is being sold across platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart and Redbubble, without his consent. Additionally, the actor has raised red flags over AI-powered chatbots that mimic his voice and simulate conversations, warning of potential misuse in fraudulent activities.
Aaryan’s filing underscores that he is the registered proprietor of the trademark “Kartik Aaryan”, with his name, voice and likeness carrying significant commercial value. The unauthorised use of these attributes, the plea states, leads to “immediate and irreparable harm” to his goodwill.
Seeking both preventive and punitive relief, the actor has requested a permanent injunction restraining entities from exploiting his identity in any form be it name, voice, signature or distinctive dialogue style. He has also sought damages amounting to Rs 15 crore for alleged commercial misappropriation and reputational loss.
The case highlights a larger legal and cultural moment, where the lines between reality and replication are increasingly blurred. As AI tools become more accessible, courts are now being called upon to define the boundaries of identity in the digital age, where a face may be famous, but control over it is no longer guaranteed.
