Delhi High Court Directs Removal of Five Posts Allegedly Targeting Raghav Chadha

The Delhi High Court granted partial relief to BJP MP Raghav Chadha on Wednesday. The court directed social media platforms to remove five disputed documents. Judges found those documents prima facie defamatory against Chadha. However, the court rejected his personality rights claim. Justice Subramonium Prasad delivered the order in court. He said the case involved defamation, not personality rights. The judge limited relief to only five identified documents. He found the remaining material not prima facie defamatory.

Chadha approached the High Court over alleged misuse of his image and persona. He claimed several social media posts falsely targeted his reputation. The content allegedly portrayed him as selling himself for money. Chadha sought legal protection under personality rights. However, the court disagreed with that legal argument. It ruled the dispute did not concern personality rights. Instead, the court focused on whether the content appeared defamatory. It granted relief only for five specific documents.

Court Rejects Personality Rights Claim

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The order followed an earlier hearing held on May 27. The High Court had refused interim relief during that proceeding. Justice Prasad defended criticism, satire, and political cartoons involving public figures. He said courts cannot restrict such content simply because it offends someone. The court also found no prima facie personality rights violation. Judges observed that the disputed posts criticized political decisions. They considered the content part of political discourse

Court Suggests Defamation Suit

Chadha requested an injunction against AI-generated deepfakes and manipulated digital content. He also challenged synthetic voice cloning and fabricated speeches online. His plea included morphed visuals and deceptive social media posts. Chadha objected to images showing him wearing a saree. Other posts depicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi showering money on him. His lawyers argued the content was offensive and defamatory. They claimed the posts falsely suggested Chadha accepted money.

The social media backlash followed Chadha’s move from the Aam Aadmi Party to the BJP. He joined the BJP after serving as a Rajya Sabha member. The court, however, questioned the legal basis of his petition. It said personality rights law did not apply here. Judges advised Chadha to pursue a defamation case instead. They added that any such case should target only limited instances. The court ultimately restricted its order to removing five defamatory documents.

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