The Delhi High Court on Friday, 25 September 2026, granted police protection to a woman who approached the court alleging that an vulgar deepfake image depicting her alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi was circulated during a protest organised by activists of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), as reported in Bar and Bench.
The woman’s petition named CJP activists Saurav Das, Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Ratna Singh, along with Meta and the Delhi Police, as respondents.
The matter was heard by Justice Girish Kathpalia after a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia agreed to list the matter for urgent hearing on Friday.
Court Seeks Delhi Police Status Report
During the hearing, the Delhi Police informed the court that an FIR had been registered in connection with the complaint.
The Additional Standing Counsel appearing for the Delhi Police submitted that since the FIR had been registered only the previous day, action would be taken expeditiously.
The court recorded the submission and directed the Delhi Police to file a status report within one week detailing the exact action taken.
The order stated, “Learned Additional Standing Counsel for Delhi Police accepts notice and submits that since the FIR was registered yesterday itself, the action shall be taken as expeditiously as possible. The status report be filed by R1 (Delhi Police) within a week, detailing the exact action taken.”
Justice Kathpalia also emphasised the sensitivity of the matter and said, “This is extraordinary position in which the matter is not of one lady, it is matter about the Prime Minister of the country. If they are not sensitive, I will make sure that they are sensitive.”
Woman Alleges Threats Following Circulation Of Deepfake
Appearing for the woman, Advocate Umesh Chandra Sharma submitted that despite a complaint being filed, the police had allegedly not taken action.
“I am being threatened,” he said.
The court observed that a request for removal of the images would ordinarily have to be pursued before the civil court, while indicating that it could grant police protection.
The court said, “Taking down of pictures, for that the case has to go to civil court. I can grant police protection.”
Justice Kathpalia then sought details from the police regarding the action taken on the complaint. The police counsel informed the court that an FIR had been registered.
The court subsequently observed, “This relief, as I stated, should have gone to civil bench. But looking at the sensitivity, we should not make the lady run from one place to another.”
After the police agreed to provide protection to the woman, the court directed that her address should not be disclosed in the proceedings.
The court said, “Earlier what happened in one of the cases was that the address was made public. I will direct that address may not be furnished in this. Address will be conveyed to sub-inspector who will convey it to the SHO of the area who will ensure that the lady is protected.”
Alleged Vulgar Images Circulated During Protest
Advocate Sharma informed the court that the photographs being circulated were vulgar and had been morphed.
The Bench agreed with the submission.
According to the petition, the woman alleged that during recent CJP protests at Jantar Mantar, protest organisers and their alleged associates obtained her photograph without authorisation and used AI-based face-swapping technology to superimpose her face onto a vulgar image alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The petition alleged that the fabricated image was printed on banners and displayed during the protest, where it was allegedly paraded before crowds accompanied by sexually suggestive slogans.
The images were also allegedly filmed and circulated widely on Instagram.
The petitioner further alleged that the morphed images were subsequently uploaded to pornographic websites.
Woman Received Rape And Death Threats
The plea alleged that following the circulation of the images, the woman received numerous threatening messages, including threats of rape, gang rape, acid attacks and death.
According to the petition, the alleged threats had forced her to remain confined to her home.
The woman sought directions for the removal of the alleged AI-generated deepfake content from social media platforms and sought police protection in view of the alleged threats.
She also sought a comprehensive investigation into the matter, periodic status reports from the police and directions to block the alleged content across social media platforms and mirror websites.
Meta Directed To Remove Content
The Delhi High Court also directed Meta to immediately remove the objectionable content in question from the social media platforms operated by the company.
The court issued notice to the CJP activists named in the petition.
During the hearing, Justice Kathpalia also asked whether the petitioner had sought compensation in the matter.
The judge said, “Have you sought compensation also? Because I remember an order where it was said that whenever political parties are doing demonstrations etc and something happens, they will be liable to pay compensation.”
Advocate Sharma responded that the petitioner had not sought such relief.
The petition had also sought immediate security measures through an ad-interim application, besides directions for removal and blocking of the alleged deepfake content.
The Delhi Police, Meta and the four CJP activists have been made parties to the proceedings.
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