- Delhi High Court protected cricketer Abhishek Sharma’s personality rights.
- Court ordered removal of fake images, unauthorized commercial usage online.
- Manipulated images created false relationship narratives, infringing his rights.
- Tech platforms comply, court affirms public figures’ exclusive rights.
The Delhi High Court has delivered a significant interim order safeguarding the distinct personality rights of Indian national team opening batsman Abhishek Sharma. The comprehensive judicial ruling restrains all external third parties from the unauthorised exploitation of the cricketer’s identity, prohibiting digital accounts and digital commerce platforms from utilising his likeness for commercial gain.
Unauthorised Exploitation Across Social Media
The swift legal intervention materialised after various online platforms began hosting manipulated materials featuring the rising international sports figure. The official lawsuit established that anonymous accounts were actively utilising advanced technological tools to alter the prominent athlete’s physical appearance.
Presiding judge Justice Jyoti Singh scrutinised the compiled digital evidence and formally ordered global technology intermediaries to remove the offending links within 36 hours. The bench determined that failing to provide immediate protective measures would inflict irreparable harm on the player’s career.
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Legal counsel representing Meta Platforms confirmed during the court proceedings that the vast majority of flagged digital links had already been successfully dismantled. The corporate entity assured the bench that any remaining active Uniform Resource Locators would be purged immediately.
Court Provides Legal Protections
The core dispute centred heavily around the targeted dissemination of fabricated images that created false public impressions regarding the player’s private relationships. The digital manipulation falsely depicted the domestic player alongside his manager to spread unfounded rumours across multiple social media networks.
Furthermore, the legal petition highlighted that several e-commerce operations were manufacturing and selling apparel bearing the cricketer’s likeness without obtaining formal licensing agreements. The court observed that these unauthorised listings explicitly misled general consumers into assuming official commercial endorsements.
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Justice Jyoti Singh noted that the elite player has secured substantial public recognition through his recent international achievements. The court concluded that established public personalities possess the exclusive right to control how their names are utilised in public spaces.
