New Delhi | The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed social media intermediaries to act within three days on Bollywood actor Salman Khan's complaint seeking protection of his personality rights.
Khan approached the high court seeking to prevent the unauthorised use of his name, images, persona and likeness by social media platforms and e-commerce websites, and to protect his personality rights.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora said she will pass a detailed interim restraining order regarding other entities which are not social media intermediaries and are selling merchandise by making unauthorised use of the actor's image and likeness.
"I will pass the stay order qua others," the judge said.
The high court directed the social media intermediaries to treat Khan's suit as a complaint under the Information and Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and take the necessary steps within three days.
The court said in case the social media intermediaries have any reservations about any weblink given by Khan, they should inform him.
"Your briefing counsel must be aware of an order I passed in another suit regarding parties not approaching the social media platforms and directly coming to the court. Please look at the order in the Ajay Devgn matter," the judge told senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, who was representing Khan.
In Devgn's case, the court clarified while granting him interim relief that the plaintiffs in such matters will have to first lodge their protest with the social media intermediaries and then approach the court.
Similarly, in the personality rights protection suit filed by Telugu actor NTR Rao Junior, the court has directed the social media intermediaries and e-commerce platforms to treat his suit as a complaint under the IT Rules and act on it.
As Khan's counsel pressed for relief against other entities, the court sought details of the defendant e-marketplaces and merchandise that are allegedly making unauthorised use of the actor's name and image.
"Counsel for plaintiff states that similar directions be issued to defendant no. 2,3,4,6 (social media intermediaries) to treat the plaint as a complaint to them as per the IT Rules, 2021. Counsel for the said defendants accept notice," the court said while dictating the order.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 18, 2026.
The right to publicity, popularly known as personality rights, is the right to protect, control and profit from one's image, name or likeness.
Recently, Bollywood actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, her husband Abhishek Bachchan and her mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan, and Hrithik Roshan, filmmaker Karan Johar, singer Kumar Sanu, Telugu actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, 'Art of Living' founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, journalist Sudhir Chaudhary and podcaster Raj Shamani also approached the high court seeking protection of their personality and publicity rights. The court granted them interim relief.
