Gautam Gambhir storms Delhi High Court over shocking reason ahead of IPL 2026
Published - 19 Mar 2026, 02:22 PM | Updated - 19 Mar 2026, 03:04 PM
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India National Cricket Team head coach Gautam Gambhir has moved the Delhi High Court against the misuse of his identity through deepfakes, AI-made content, and unauthorized merchandise.
Gautam Gambhir’s legal team filed the case in the Commercial Division of the Delhi High Court on March 19. The World Cup-winning coach and batter claimed that his identity was being used again and again in a planned way in his complaint.
Gautam Gambhir moves Delhi High Court over Fake AI content
The former BJP MP, who is also the Arjuna Awardee and Padma Shri recipient, has also asked for urgent action against 16 named and unnamed people or groups for making fake digital content and products while using Gambhir’s name and image without permission.
He raised the matter in 2025. In his suit filed in the Commercial Division of the High Court of Delhi, the former Indian opener is seeking “comprehensive protection of his personality and publicity rights against a coordinated campaign of digital impersonation, AI-generated deepfakes, and unauthorized commercial exploitation.”
Every public figure deserves dignity: Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir said in his plea to the court: “My identity—my name, my face, my voice—has been weaponized by anonymous accounts to spread misinformation and generate revenue at my expense. This is not a matter of personal hurt; it is a matter of law, dignity, and the protection every public figure deserves in the age of artificial intelligence.”
Gautam Gambhir Moves Delhi High Court Against Systematic
— Nitin K Srivastav (@Nitin_sachin) March 19, 2026
Misuse
of His Identity Through Deepfakes, AI Manipulation &
Unauthorised Merchandise
Gautam Gambhir pic.twitter.com/OQrrNCzHa9
— Abhishek Tripathi / अभिषेक त्रिपाठी (@abhishereporter) March 19, 2026
Fake videos and unauthorized merchandise make case serious
Gambhir’s legal team has complained that fake digital content using his face, voice, and identity went viral widely across social media platforms like Instagram, X, YouTube, and Facebook. Several accounts allegedly used AI tools, face-swapping, and voice cloning to create fake videos that looked real. Some of these clips wrongly showed Gambhir saying things he never said.
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One fake resignation-style video reportedly pulled in more than 29 lakh views, while another fake clip linked to comments on senior cricketers and World Cup selection got over 17 lakh views, which shows how much damage it can do. The complaint also mentioned unauthorized posters and merchandise being sold online using Gambhir’s name and image without permission.
16 defendants named as Gambhir seeks strong action
That has made the issue even more serious because it is not only about fake content but also about commercial use of the cricketer’s identity. The suit named 16 defendants, including several social media accounts like JanKey Frames, Bhupendra Paintola, Legends Revolution, gustakhedits, cricket_memer45, GemsOfCrickets, Crickaith, Sunny Upadhyay, and @imRavY_.
Additionally, the big online marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart and major platforms (Meta Platforms Inc., X Corp., and Google LLC/YouTube) were also mentioned in his suit. Even Gambhir wants the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology and Department of Telecommunications to facilitate implementation of any court order.
Gambhir has sought removal of the fake content, permanent banning of any further misuse, details of earnings linked to the alleged misuse, and damages of Rs 2.5 crore. The case is filed under Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2 of the CPC, which is related to copyright, trademarks, and commercial disputes.
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