Sadhguru moves Delhi High Court to curb AI misuse of his identity

Spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has moved the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights, alleging that artificial intelligence (AI) is being misused to generate and circulate unauthorised content featuring his name and likeness. The petition highlights a growing concern among public figures globally about how AI-generated content can distort reputations, infringe on image rights, and mislead the public.

During a hearing before Justice Saurabh Benarjee, Sadhguru’s legal team argued that several websites and digital platforms have been exploiting his identity without consent, leveraging his image to promote products under the guise of authenticity. A notable example presented was the use of his photograph on the cover of a book titled Garbh Yatra, which Sadhguru clarified he had no involvement with. “People are blindly trusting these offerings because of my reputation, making this a clear case of fraud,” the spiritual leader stated. “These entities are leveraging AI to deceive the public.”

The plea calls for urgent judicial intervention to issue takedown orders against websites and intermediaries found misusing his image or impersonating him using AI tools. The petition also highlights the need for stronger legal safeguards in an age where deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation can go viral with little accountability.

Representatives from Google, appearing before the court, responded that as intermediaries, platforms require specific URLs or detailed reports to take down offending content. They clarified that platforms cannot act proactively without formal takedown requests, as per current intermediary guidelines in India.

After hearing initial arguments, the court reserved its order and indicated that an interim ruling would be issued shortly.

This is not the first time Sadhguru has taken legal recourse to defend his reputation in the digital space. In March 2025, the Delhi High Court had ordered the removal of defamatory videos and content published by a YouTuber targeting Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation. In that case, the court reinforced that the right to reputation forms an integral part of one’s dignity and must be protected even while preserving freedom of speech.

The case underlines an emerging challenge as public personalities grapple with the rapid rise of generative AI and the ease with which it can be used to replicate voices, faces, and even behavioural traits for commercial or malicious purposes. Legal experts suggest that India, like many other countries, may need to revise its personality rights framework and IT rules to address the nuances of AI-generated impersonation.

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