In a landmark move, the Delhi High Court has clamped down on misuse of the persona of renowned cardiologist Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty and safeguarded the trademarks of his esteemed hospital, Narayana Health. The case revolved around doctored online videos falsely attributing unverified health advice and endorsements of dubious products to Dr. Shetty.
The Court issued an injunction against known and anonymous entities operating social media platforms for disseminating such content. Justice Mini Pushkarna emphasized that the plaintiffs faced irreparable harm, stating the balance of convenience clearly favored them.
The misleading materials exploited Dr. Shetty’s name, image, and voice, leveraging his reputation for unauthorized commercial gain. Narayana Health’s trademarks, synonymous with excellence in healthcare, were similarly manipulated to mislead the public. The Court highlighted the severe risks posed by these actions, not only to the plaintiffs’ reputation but also to the trust of unsuspecting consumers.
Justice Pushkarna’s ruling prohibits any exploitation of Dr. Shetty’s persona, including emerging threats like deepfake technology and AI-generated media. It also bars unauthorized use of Narayana Health’s trademarks. The Court directed social media companies to remove infringing content and disclose the identities of those responsible. Google was ordered to scrub similar materials from its platforms, including YouTube.
Further, the Court authorized the plaintiffs to request takedowns of future violations and called on telecom providers and government agencies to block websites engaged in such misconduct.
This decision underscores the judiciary’s stance on protecting individuals and institutions from the misuse of their identity and intellectual property in the digital age, setting a precedent for similar cases in the future.
