Gautam Gambhir: Coach Gambhir Approaches Delhi High Court, Seeks Ban on Misuse of AI Deepfakes

Gautam Gambhir, the Head Coach of the Indian cricket team, has filed a civil lawsuit in the Delhi High Court. In this case, he has sought strict action against digital impersonation, AI-generated deepfakes, and the unauthorized use of his name, face, and voice.

Numerous Fake Accounts Created on Social Platforms

Citing Gambhir’s legal team, the news agency IANS reported that since late 2025, the proliferation of fake content bearing his name has surged rapidly across platforms such as Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Facebook. Utilizing AI, face-swapping, and voice-cloning technologies, videos were created depicting him making statements he never actually uttered. These included a video regarding a fake resignation, which garnered millions of views.

Sixteen parties have been named as defendants in this matter. These include various social media accounts as well as e-commerce giants such as Amazon and Flipkart. Additionally, technology companies—including Meta Platforms, Google, and YouTube—have also been named in the lawsuit. The Ministry of IT and the Department of Telecommunications have also been impleaded to ensure the enforcement of the Court’s orders.

Damages of ₹2.5 Crore Sought

The lawsuit has been filed under the Copyright Act, 1957; the Trade Marks Act, 1999; and the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. It also cites significant precedents established in previous rulings—such as Amitabh Bachchan vs. Rajat Negi, Anil Kapoor vs. Simply Life India, and Sunil Gavaskar vs. Cricket Tak—which have accorded legal protection to ‘personality rights.’

Gambhir has petitioned the Court for damages amounting to ₹2.5 crore, the removal of all objectionable accounts, a permanent injunction against such future usage, and the immediate removal of all existing infringing content. Furthermore, he has appealed for an expedited hearing of the matter. Commenting on the issue, Gambhir stated that false information is being disseminated—and monetized—through the misuse of his identity and public image. He characterized this not merely as a matter of personal detriment, but as an issue fundamentally linked to the rule of law and personal dignity—one that bears directly upon the protection of the rights of every public figure in the current era of artificial intelligence.