Court Orders Congress to Yank Controversial AI Deepfake of Modi’s Late Mother from Social Media
In a swift judicial intervention, the Patna High Court has mandated the removal of an artificial intelligence-generated video depicting the late mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from all social media platforms, following a complaint that it tarnishes her memory and his reputation.
The directive, issued on Wednesday by Acting Chief Justice PB Bajantri, targets the Congress party’s Bihar unit, which shared the clip portraying Modi in a dream sequence with his mother, Heeraben Modi, who passed away in December 2022. The court also sent notices to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, as well as tech giants Facebook, X, and Google, requiring their compliance. The petition named Gandhi, the Union government, and the Election Commission as respondents, underscoring the case’s political weight.
Siddharth Prasad, counsel for the Election Commission, confirmed to news agency PTI that the court emphasized the immediate takedown of the video while broadening the notice to key platforms and figures. “The court, while ordering immediate withdrawal of the video, has also issued notices to Gandhi, Facebook, X and Google,” Prasad stated.
The controversy erupted when the Bihar Congress posted the deepfake on social media, igniting backlash from Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who accused the opposition of disrespecting Modi’s family. This incident compounds prior tensions: just days earlier, footage emerged from the Congress-led Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar’s Darbhanga district, showing an unidentified individual on stage hurling insults at Modi and his mother. That episode prompted an internal probe by the state unit.
In response, a First Information Report was registered against Congress functionaries, filed by Sanket Gupta, convenor of the BJP’s Delhi Election Cell. The FIR invokes several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including Sections 18(2) for promoting enmity, 336(3) and 336(4) related to forgery, 340(2) for criminal breach of trust, 352 for intentional insult, 356(2) for defamation, and 61(2) concerning unlawful assembly.
Congress spokespersons have firmly denied any intent to dishonor Modi or Heeraben, asserting the video was not meant to offend. Party insiders revealed that Bihar Congress has launched an internal investigation to pinpoint who authorized the post, with disciplinary measures to follow based on findings.
This ruling highlights escalating concerns over AI misuse in Indian politics, where deepfakes blur lines between satire and slander, especially amid high-stakes electoral rhetoric. As platforms scramble to comply, the episode serves as a stark reminder of the judiciary’s role in safeguarding personal dignity against digital distortions.