New Delhi: Noting that the issue also involves the Prime Minister, Delhi High Court Friday ordered Meta platforms to immediately remove a woman’s morphed photograph with PM Modi from social media.It also sent a notice to Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) members Saurav Das, Abhijit Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Ratna Singh on a plea by the woman alleging that they had circulated her morphed and explicit photo with the PM.“In such matters, I would not have entertained because you have alternative remedies available, but it is not just a matter of the lady but also the Prime Minister of the country. If they are not sensitive, I will ensure they become sensitive. And I believe action will be taken,” Justice Girish Kathpalia said.While listing the matter for further hearing on Oct 14, HC directed the woman be given complete police protection after she submitted that she had been receiving threats to her life.Her lawyer said though an FIR was registered in this regard, no concrete steps had been taken to apprehend those responsible or to secure the immediate takedown or blocking of the viral deepfake links.“During recent protests held by CJP at Jantar Mantar, respondents No. 2 to 5 (the CJP members) along with their active accomplices unauthorisedly harvested the personal photograph of the petitioner and utilised AI face-swapping tools to morph her face onto a highly vulgar, compromising image alongside the PM,” the plea said.At the outset, Justice Kathpalia said the issue relating to the takedown of the objectionable content had to go to a civil court. However, he added that looking at the sensitivity involved, the woman should not be made to run from one place to another, and all the prayers will be dealt with in HC itself.“It is not just her face. Of course, she is a victim… other face (PM’s) should have also been blurred (in record),” the judge said.HC asked the woman to furnish her exact address to the investigating officer and directed police to provide her protection in all possible and practical manners.Regarding the woman’s right to compensation, the court cited the legal position that for an illegality committed during a demonstration, the victim has a right to claim compensation from the organisers of the protest, and made it clear that the pendency of this petition will not remove her right to claim any other relief to which she is entitled under law.It also directed Delhi Police to file its status report within a week, giving the exact details of the action taken in the matter and further asked the court registry to redact the victim’s name and web links from the petition and annexures.
