Delhi HC grants Alakh Pandey interim relief in personality rights suit
Synopsis
Physics Wallah founder Alakh Pandey has secured interim relief from the Delhi High Court, which has ordered removal of vulgar, impersonating, and commercially exploitative content targeting him — and directed Google, X, Telegram, and LinkedIn to hand over subscriber data. The case joins a growing wave of public figures using Indian courts to assert digital personality rights, with major implications for platform accountability.
Key Takeaways
The Delhi High Court on 5 August passed an interim order directing removal of infringing online content targeting Alakh Pandey , founder of Physics Wallah .
Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani issued summons and restrained defendants from hosting the identified infringing URLs.
Infringing content was categorised into three heads: vulgar/obscene/sexually explicit material, commercial exploitation of personality rights, and impersonation.
Google , X , Telegram , and LinkedIn have been directed to furnish basic subscriber information linked to the identified URLs.
The case joins a growing list of public figures — including Gautam Gambhir , Allu Arjun , and Shashi Tharoor — who have sought similar protection before the Delhi HC.
The next hearing is scheduled for November .
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 5 August passed an interim order directing the removal of allegedly infringing online content targeting Alakh Pandey, CEO and Founder of edtech platform Physics Wallah, in a suit filed to protect his personality and publicity rights against the unauthorised use of his name, image, and identity across digital platforms.
What the Court Ordered
A single-judge bench of Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani issued summons in the suit and granted interim protection in respect of certain identified URLs, restraining the defendants from continuing to host the infringing content. The court noted that a detailed order setting out the reasons and specifying the nature of content to be taken down would be passed separately.
Justice Bhambhani also directed Google, X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and LinkedIn to furnish basic subscriber information relating to the URLs and websites identified in the suit, enabling Pandey to pursue appropriate legal remedies.
Nature of the Infringing Content
Appearing for Pandey, senior advocate J. Sai Deepak handed over to the court a tabulated compilation of the allegedly infringing URLs, categorised under three broad heads: vulgar, obscene, and sexually explicit content; content commercially exploiting Pandey's personality rights; and content impersonating him. The compilation was considered by the bench before the interim relief was granted.
A Growing Legal Trend
This case adds to a rapidly expanding list of high-profile personalities invoking personality and publicity rights before the Delhi High Court. In recent months, former cricketer and current India head coach Gautam Gambhir, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, actors Arjun Kapoor, Allu Arjun, Nagarjuna, Varun Dhawan, Kajol, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Abhishek Bachchan, singer Jubin Nautiyal, filmmaker Karan Johar, podcaster Raj Shamani, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, and actor Ravi Kishan have secured or sought court protection against the unauthorised use of their identity, likeness, or AI-generated imitations. The pattern reflects a broader judicial recognition of digital identity as a protectable right in India.
What Happens Next
The matter has been listed for further hearing in November. With major platforms including Google and X now directed to share subscriber data, the case could set a significant precedent for how Indian courts enforce personality rights against anonymous or pseudonymous online actors.
Point of View
X, Telegram, and LinkedIn in a single sweep. Indian courts are increasingly treating digital personality rights as enforceable in real time — not just after protracted litigation. What remains untested is whether these orders translate into actual takedowns and data disclosures at scale, or whether platform compliance stays selective. With AI-generated deepfakes and impersonation content multiplying, the Delhi HC's emerging jurisprudence on personality rights may become one of India's most consequential digital-law developments of the decade.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Delhi High Court case involving Alakh Pandey about?
Alakh Pandey, CEO and Founder of Physics Wallah, has filed a suit before the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality and publicity rights against the unauthorised use of his name, image, and identity on digital platforms. The court granted him interim relief on 5 August, ordering removal of certain infringing URLs and directing major platforms to share subscriber data.
What type of content was flagged as infringing in the Alakh Pandey case?
The infringing content was categorised under three heads: vulgar, obscene, and sexually explicit material; content commercially exploiting Pandey's personality rights; and content impersonating him. Senior advocate J. Sai Deepak presented a tabulated URL compilation to the court.
Which platforms have been directed to share data by the Delhi High Court?
The Delhi High Court has directed Google, X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and LinkedIn to furnish basic subscriber information relating to the URLs and websites identified in the suit, to help Pandey pursue appropriate legal remedies.
Who else has sought personality rights protection before the Delhi High Court?
A growing list of public figures has approached the Delhi HC on similar grounds, including Gautam Gambhir, Sunil Gavaskar, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Allu Arjun, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Karan Johar, Shashi Tharoor, and several others, reflecting a broader judicial trend around digital identity protection.
When is the next hearing in the Alakh Pandey personality rights case?
The Delhi High Court has listed the matter for further hearing in November. A detailed order specifying the reasons and the exact nature of content to be removed is also expected to be passed separately by Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani.
