Delhi High Court orders removal of AAP's AI-generated posts showing Delhi CM Rekha Gupta as liquor vendor

The Delhi High Court on Friday ordered the removal of several Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated social media posts by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) depicting Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta as a liquor vendor, hawker and delivery agent.

Justice Manoj Jain directed the social media platforms to remove the posts immediately.

In its order, the Court noted that the posts also showed the Chief Minister as the head of the purported “Har Har Rekha or Ghar Ghar Theka” scheme.

Justice Jain said that these AI-generated videos and posts were not only defamatory and offensive but also attacked the dignity of a woman occupying a constitutional post.

Holding public office invites greater scrutiny but an individual's dignity cannot be compromised, the Court underscored.

"Admittedly, any political party is entitled to criticise any governmental policy or decision or administrative action of the government but in the garb of expression of disapproval of any such policy, the offensive portrayal of Chief Minister, with the assistance of AI-generated videos, hurting her very dignity can be, by no stretch of imagination, said to be in the realm of permissible political satire," the Court observed.

It then issued the interim direction to the social media platforms to remove the content.

The Court also issued notices and summons to AAP and other defendants.

The ex-parte order was passed on a defamation suit filed by the CM.

She argued that AI-generated videos and images circulated by AAP were defamatory, vulgar and offensive, portraying her as a liquor vendor and delivery agent.

Gupta contended that the content crossed the boundaries of permissible political satire, tarnished her dignity and moral character, and could cause irreparable harm.

Advocates Sameer Rohatgi, Nikhil Kohli, Ritika Gambhir Kohli, Tushar Mudgil, Kushank Garg, Anwar Shad, Samarth Kapoor, Namit Suri, Tanya Sharma, Pepakayala Geetanjali and Anish Singh appeared for Rekha Gupta. The defamation suit has been filed through DSNR Legal Advocates and Solicitors.

[Read Order]