High Court
Delhi HC begins hearing CAS petitions
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court hearing on a clutch of petitions on conditional access system (CAS) was inconclusive today, and it was decided that the hearing would continue tomorrow.
The central government that has been made a respondent
to the petitions, reportedly, failed to come up with convincing explanations as to why Delhi was denotified and taken off the CAS rollout roadmap.
The chief justice of the high court, who is hearing the case, however, has allowed the government to furnish more details. He has directed that the official records regarding CAS and various meetings held relating to it, be produced in the court tomorrow.
The petitions against the government have been filed by Zee Telefilms cable arm Siti Cable, the Delhi-based
Cable Networks Association and an individual.
By and large, the petitioners have said that a deferment of CAS in Delhi has lead to, and can further escalate financial losses for multi-system operators and cable operators who had invested in infrastructure after assurances from the government on CAS.
The individual Delhi resident, however, has petitioned that he should get the cable service at Rs 72 (excluding local taxes) comprising all the free-to-air channels as had been envisaged during a CAS regime.
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.
