Delhi HC Directs Sonakshi Sinha To Submit Defendant-Wise Infringing URLs In AI Personality Rights Suit

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed Bollywood actor Sonakshi Sinha to file a clear, defendant-wise table of infringing URLs in her suit seeking protection of her personality rights against alleged misuse by AI-based platforms, after finding a lack of clarity in the material placed on record, while indicating that it will pass an interim order protecting the actor’s personality rights in due course.

Justice Jyoti Singh, hearing the interim injunction application on March 20, 2026, in CS(COMM) No. 275 of 2026, titled Sonakshi Sinha v. Character Technologies Inc. and Others, directed the plaintiff to present the offending links in a structured format and also granted permission to place certain documents in a sealed cover within two days, considering the sensitive nature of the allegedly infringing material.

The suit has been filed on behalf of the actor, described in the proceedings as a well-known Indian actress in Hindi cinema who has appeared in films such as Dabangg and Lootera, seeking protection of her personality rights against alleged misuse by AI-based platforms. The principal grievance is directed against website operators, arrayed as Defendants 1 and 2 in the suit, who allegedly provide tools enabling users to create AI-generated chatbots that can present themselves as real persons. Counsel explained to the Court that a user could potentially create a chatbot using the plaintiff’s image and voice and make it appear as though the actor herself were interacting with users, thereby misusing her likeness, voice, and personality attributes without consent.

When the Court asked which links were sought to be taken down, counsel referred to an annexure containing the URLs. Justice Singh remarked, “What links are you wanting to be taken down? I don’t find any clarity on your claim.” The Court thereupon directed the plaintiff to present the infringing URLs in a structured format, stating, “Frankly, in a soft copy, just give me a table… Defendant-wise, URLs?” The Court also expressed concern over websites that allow users to generate chatbots using the actor’s likeness, but cautioned that it would grant only legally recognised reliefs, observing, “Prayer can ask for the moon, but I’m not going to grant it. I will grant what has been granted by this court from time to time.”

The Court also heard submissions from counsel representing an intermediary, described as a domain name registrar arrayed as Defendant 18, who submitted that its technical role is limited to blocking or suspending domain names. The Court took note of this and clarified that any direction issued would remain within those technical limits, observing, “That’s all that I’m directing.” The Court allowed the plaintiff to place certain documents in a sealed cover, given the sensitive nature of the allegedly infringing material, and directed counsel to properl4y reseal the envelope and submit it to the Court Master, while granting two days’ time to file the confidential material.

The Court indicated that it would pass an interim order protecting the actor’s personality rights. The matter has been listed before the Joint Registrar on April 10, 2026, while the interim application will be taken up by the Court on May 11, 2026.

The suit is the latest in a series of personality rights cases before Indian courts involving AI-generated content. Coordinate Benches of the Delhi High Court have, in recent years, passed orders protecting the personality rights of actor Jackie Shroff against an AI chatbot using his persona without consent in Jaikishan Kakubhai Saraf alias Jackie Shroff v. The Peppy Store and Others (2024), issued a John Doe injunction in favour of personal finance educator Ankur Warikoo in Ankur Warikoo v. John Doe, CS(COMM) 514/2025, and protected the personality rights of yoga guru Ramdev. The Bombay High Court has similarly granted interim protection in Arijit Singh v. Codible Ventures LLP and Others (2024), involving AI-generated voice synthesis, and in Shatrughan Prasad Sinha v. John Doe, by order dated February 16, 2026, protecting the veteran actor’s name, likeness, and signature catchphrase from AI-generated deepfakes and misuse across digital platforms.

Case Details:

• Case Title: Sonakshi Sinha v. Character Technologies Inc. and Others
• Case Number: CS(COMM) No. 275 of 2026
• Court: High Court of Delhi at New Delhi
• Bench: Justice Jyoti Singh
• Date of Hearing: March 20, 2026
• Next Dates: Joint Registrar on April 10, 2026; interim application before Court on May 11, 2026