Delhi HC signals takedown order in Yuvraj Singh personality rights case

MUMBAI: Some battles are fought with a bat, others with a browser. Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh has moved a step closer to securing protection for his personality rights after the Delhi High Court indicated it would pass an interim order directing the removal of online content found to be infringing his identity.

Justice Jyoti Singh was hearing a suit filed by Yuvraj Singh seeking protection against the unauthorised commercial use of his name and other personality attributes on online platforms.

During the hearing, Singh’s counsel informed the Court that two web links identified in the petition had already been taken down. The remaining links, the counsel submitted, related primarily to online sellers allegedly using the former cricketer’s name and identity on merchandise without his consent for commercial gain.

One of the disputed URLs involved a Reddit post alleging that Singh had made objectionable remarks about women. Counsel appearing for Reddit opposed any direction to remove the post, arguing that it had been online for two years and that the dispute, if any, concerned defamation rather than infringement of personality rights.

Responding to the argument, Singh’s counsel contended that fresh comments continued to appear on the discussion thread. The Court, however, observed that the original post dated back two years and noted that transcripts of the newer comments had not been placed on record.

Justice Singh outlined the procedure the Court intends to adopt through its interim order. Uploaders of the allegedly infringing content will first be given 48 hours to voluntarily remove the material. If they fail to do so, Singh will be at liberty to approach the concerned intermediaries, which will then have 36 hours to take down the content.

The Court clarified that the proposed interim relief would be limited to the URLs identified in the present suit. It also observed that Singh could file a fresh application if additional infringing links surfaced in the future, allowing the scope of the injunction to be expanded if necessary.

The High Court has registered the matter as a suit, issued notice on Singh’s application for interim injunction and directed the intermediaries to file their responses. It has also asked for a compliance affidavit within three weeks.

The proceedings reflect the growing legal scrutiny around personality rights in the digital age, where celebrities are increasingly turning to courts to challenge the unauthorised commercial use of their identities. As online marketplaces and social platforms continue to expand, courts are also refining the balance between protecting individual rights, preserving free speech and defining the responsibilities of digital intermediaries.