Karnataka High Court Cracks Down on AI-Driven Defamation Against Dharmasthala Pontiff

In a decisive intervention, the High Court of Karnataka has mandated the swift removal of AI-generated, morphed and manipulated images and videos targeting revered Dharmasthala pontiff Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade and his family. Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar directed state authorities and law enforcement to act within one week, underscoring the judiciary’s resolve to curb digital malice.

Previous Judicial Safeguards Ignored

The petitioners—Sri Sheenappa, Sri Nandeesh Kumar Jain, Sri Nischal D. and Sri Sunil P.—moved the Court under Articles 226 and 227 after their earlier representation dated 24 March 2025 went unheeded. These directions stemmed from an earlier writ petition (W.P. No. 19382/2023) where the Court had already flagged the menace of fabricated content circulating on social media. Despite clear judicial prompting, the Central Police Station and State machinery had failed to initiate concrete steps, prompting the present petition.

Petitioners Seek Robust Protections

The petitioners urged the Court to compel respondent No. 2 to consider their representation and act against the illegal content. They further sought comprehensive directions to Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, Meta and other platforms prohibiting the creation, upload or circulation of any AI-manipulated material depicting Dr. Heggade or his relatives. Additional prayers included automatic takedown within 24 hours of notice, suspension of offending accounts and identification of perpetrators.

State Agrees to Act Under Judicial Watch

Representing the State, the Additional Government Advocate assured the Court that reasonable time would enable swift action. The concession proved pivotal. Justice Krishna Kumar observed that both sides’ submissions made it “just and appropriate” to dispose of the petition with specific timelines, thereby balancing immediate relief with administrative feasibility.

One-Week Deadline for Complete Cleanup

The Court disposed of the petition with clear, time-bound directions:

“directing respondent Nos.1 and 2 to take necessary/effective/immediate steps to ensure that AI-generated, morphed, manipulated or fabricated images, video content depicting Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, his family members, etc., to be taken down, removed, erased, effaced, deleted, etc., from all social media, URLs, press/media, social media platforms, etc., and press and other media including respondent Nos.3 to 7 within a period of one week from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.”

This decisive language leaves little room for delay or bureaucratic inertia.

Practical Implications for Digital Governance

The order places an affirmative duty on police to actively monitor and purge such content while holding social-media intermediaries to strict response standards. It signals that once notified, platforms cannot insist on repeated complaints and must permanently delete offending material. Legal observers note the ruling may influence similar litigation across other High Courts confronting AI-enabled character assassination.

The judgment marks a significant step toward protecting individual dignity in the age of synthetic media, ensuring that revered public figures like Dr. Veerendra Heggade are not left defenceless against technologically sophisticated attacks.