Delhi HC to continue hearing Kumar Sanu's plea on protection of personality rights

New Delhi [India], October 13 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday said it will continue hearing on Wednesday a plea seeking protection of a renowned singer's personality and publicity rights, including his name, voice, vocal style, and singing technique, from alleged unauthorised use and AI-based imitation.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, who heard the matter briefly, sought clarifications from the singer's counsel and directed the case to be listed on October 15.
The counsel informed the court that a list of offending web links had been submitted for review. Representatives of Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, requested time to examine the URLs and indicate which ones would be removed.
The plea seeks protection of the artist's personality and publicity rights, encompassing his name, voice, vocal arrangements, interpretations, mannerisms, images, likeness, and signature, against unauthorised commercial exploitation.
It alleges that the unauthorised use of his persona through AI-generated voice cloning, GIFs, digital merchandise, and video content amounts to a violation of his moral and publicity rights under the Copyright Act, 1957.
The suit claims that third parties are cloning and mimicking the singer's performances to attract revenue on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. It further alleges that such acts constitute false endorsement, passing off, and dilution of the singer's reputation and must be restrained through an injunction.
The plea also highlights that the singer's distinctive voice and artistic persona have attained substantial goodwill and commercial value globally, and that their misuse could cause confusion and deception among the public.
Recently, several public figures, including leading actors, filmmakers, and public personalities, have approached the Delhi High Court to safeguard their personality and publicity rights against AI-driven impersonation and unlicensed commercial use. The matter will be taken up next on October 15 for further hearing. (ANI)