Veteran playback singer Kumar Sanu had filed a defamation suit against his ex-wife Rita Bhattacharya and now as per the latest update on the case on Thursday, the singer has received major interim relief. The court issued an order granting temporary protection against his former wife, digital platforms Google and Meta Platforms, as well as several unidentified individuals listed as John Doe defendants.The singer’s advocate Sana Raees Khan said the order is a significant step toward protecting an individual’s reputation and dignity in the digital era. Speaking about the case, Sana stated, as quoted by IANS that the order underlines the responsibility of social media and search platforms when defamatory material appears online. She explained that safeguarding a person’s reputation continues to remain a core legal principle, regardless of whether the individual is a public figure. The interim protection, she added, ensures that Kumar Sanu’s reputation remains protected while the case proceeds in court.As part of the ruling, the court has restrained the circulation and publication of allegedly defamatory content related to Kumar Sanu. It has also instructed digital intermediaries to take necessary measures in line with the law. According to Sana, the case highlights the growing role of the judiciary in tackling online defamation and shielding public personalities from reputational damage caused through digital platforms.Earlier, in October last year, Kumar Sanu had approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his “personality and publicity rights.” The plea sought safeguards for several aspects of his identity, including his name, voice, vocal style and technique, mannerisms, images, caricatures, likeness and signature.The petition alleged that third parties were commercially exploiting these attributes without authorisation or licence. This included the use of GIFs, audio and video recordings, AI-cloned voice samples, face morphing and merchandise that generated revenue online while potentially diluting his persona. Following the petition, the Delhi High Court granted interim protection and orally stated that an interim injunction would safeguard his rights, while also directing the removal of objectionable content from online platforms.According to reports, the court further instructed digital platforms, AI developers and intermediaries to remove unauthorised material that imitates the singer’s voice, likeness or persona. It also directed named platforms and e-commerce websites to preserve related data connected to the disputed content.
