The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Delhi Police to provide protection to a woman who alleged that leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) circulated an allegedly morphed and obscene image depicting her alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following which she received threats.
Justice Girish Kathpalia issued notice to CJP leaders Saurav Das, Abhijit Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Ratna Singh, who have been named as respondents in the petition. The Court also directed Meta Platforms to remove access to the allegedly objectionable content from platforms under its control within 24 hours. The allegations are yet to be adjudicated by the Court.
The petitioner alleged that her photograph had been used without her consent and manipulated through AI-based face-swapping technology to create a vulgar and compromising image showing her alongside the Prime Minister. She further alleged that the image was displayed on physical banners during a CJP demonstration and subsequently circulated through social media.
According to the petition, videos of the demonstration were also uploaded online, while the alleged morphed images were circulated on multiple platforms, including pornographic websites. The woman claimed that the circulation had resulted in threats, including rape threats, and sought immediate intervention to prevent further dissemination of the material.
Advocate Umesh Sharma, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that an FIR had already been registered but the alleged content continued to remain online. He sought directions for its immediate removal and also pressed for protection of the petitioner, stating that she was receiving threats.
The Court noted that questions concerning takedown of online material would ordinarily fall before the Bench exercising civil jurisdiction. However, considering the sensitivity of the allegations and the petitioner’s immediate safety concerns, Justice Kathpalia said that she should not be required to approach different forums for urgent protection.
The Court directed the petitioner to disclose her exact residential address only to the investigating officer. The officer was directed to forward the details and a copy of the order to the jurisdictional Station House Officer, who was directed to ensure the petitioner’s protection.
The Court further directed the Delhi Police to file a status report within one week setting out the action taken in the matter. The Registry was also directed to redact the impugned web links from the petition and its annexures, while the petitioner was directed to provide the investigating agency with electronic copies of the disputed photographs and videos along with the relevant links.
The Court also observed that the petitioner would be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation against the organisers of the demonstration and clarified that the present proceedings would not prevent her from seeking any other relief available under law.