Delhi HC protects senior advocate Vikas Pahwa’s personality rights

The judge passed the order after being informed that Pahwa’s photographs were being misused for impersonation.

In a first, the Delhi high court on Tuesday protected the personality rights of a lawyer, senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, by restraining various entities from using his name, image or identity without his consent.

Delhi HC protects senior advocate Vikas Pahwa’s personality rights

A bench led by Justice Jyoti Singh also ordered the takedown of multiple social media posts that used his image and identity without permission.

The judge passed the order after being informed that Pahwa’s photographs were being misused for impersonation, including being used as WhatsApp display pictures and in other fraudulent activities such as endorsing investment schemes.

Pahwa’s counsel further submitted that, by virtue of his professional standing and public recognition, his client possessed enforceable personality and publicity rights in his name, likeness and persona, and that such acts amounted to a clear infringement of those rights.

Considering the submissions, Justice Singh asked Pahwa’s counsel to file a list of the infringing links and said she would pass further orders protecting Pahwa’s name, identity and registration particulars from being misused.

Notably, this is the first time the court has passed an order protecting the personality rights of an advocate. Earlier, such protection was largely extended to Bollywood actors, directors, musicians and YouTubers.

Last year, the high court had extended protection to the personality and publicity rights of filmmaker Karan Johar and actors Akkineni Nagarjuna, Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn and Hrithik Roshan. It had also safeguarded the personality rights of members of the Bachchan family, including Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.