DELHI: India’s courts have drawn a sharp new line in the sand. The Delhi High Court has granted an ex parte ad interim injunction in favour of Aman Gupta, co-founder of boAt Lifestyle, founder and chief executive of OFF/BEAT, and one of India’s most recognisable faces from Shark Tank India, restraining over 44 defendants from exploiting his name, image, voice, likeness, and persona without authorisation. The order, passed by Justice Tushar Rao Gedela on May 7th, is among the first of its kind extended to a new-age startup founder rather than a film star or professional athlete.
The alleged violations that triggered the suit are brazen in their range and audacity. Gupta complained of fake endorsements designed to dupe consumers, unauthorised merchandise cashing in on his name, AI-generated deepfake pornographic content, sham speaker-booking websites, and Telegram bots impersonating him wholesale. The court’s injunction covers all of it. It also directed intermediaries, including Google LLC, to pull down infringing content and disclose details of the accounts responsible.
The case is a telling reflection of how India’s digital economy has quietly created a new class of public figure. Gupta built his public persona not through Bollywood or the cricket pitch but through brand building, social media, and prime-time television. Yet the commercial and reputational value attached to that persona, the court acknowledged, is every bit as real and every bit as worth protecting.
What makes the ruling significant is its reach beyond entertainment. Indian courts have long recognised personality and publicity rights, but typically for actors, musicians, and sportspeople. Extending that protection to an entrepreneur is a meaningful legal leap, and one that the country’s booming startup ecosystem has been quietly waiting for.
Defendants have been directed to file written statements within 30 days of receiving summons. The matter goes before the Joint Registrar (Judicial) on August 3rd, 2026 for completion of service and pleadings, and returns to court on October 1st, 2026. Gupta is represented by senior advocate Diya Kapur and her team. Google LLC and the Union of India appear through separate counsel.
The case is grounded in the digitally signed interim order in CS(COMM) 462/2026, downloaded from the Delhi High Court server on May 10th, 2026.
For India’s startup founders, the message from the court could not be clearer: your face, your name, and your story are intellectual property. In the age of AI-generated fakes and platform-scale impersonation, the law is, slowly but unmistakably, catching up.
