Chandigarh: A Chandigarh civil court has restrained three Facebook pages from disseminating, publishing or uploading AI-generated content involving Batala Congress functionary Amandeep Kumar, observing that the videos “apparently maligns the image of an individual without verified facts, knowingly”.Civil judge (junior division) Kuldeep Singh passed the interim order on a suit filed by Kumar, also known as Amandeep Jaintipura, a lawyer. The court’s direction comes just months ahead of Punjab assembly elections, which are expected to see the entry of AI-generated content for online campaigning.The court also directed Facebook to “disable the public access or suspending the pages namely ‘Thanedar uncle’, ‘Kachi laan’ and ‘Batale Di Rajneeti’ till the next hearing.Jaintipura alleged that his visual representation had been fabricated using artificial intelligence and used to portray him in a body, dress and appearance which he “never adopted, posed for or consented to”.According to the order, the three pages had 2.2K, 1.1K and 11K followers respectively, while videos, reels and other content had received around 178K, 180K and 47.8K views.Jaintipura’s counsel submitted that he was a “front runner” for the 2027 Punjab Assembly election from Batala on the Congress ticket. The counsel alleged the AI-generated content was “calculated to malign the image of the plaintiff-applicant”, while glorifying AAP MLA Aman Sher Singh alias Sherry Kalsi. It allegedly portrayed Jaintipura as a drug dealer, anti-social element and, at one point, a dancer with a woman.After viewing the videos, the court said the material apparently depicted Jaintipura in a negative character for public viewing.“The said pages appears to have political agenda which is beyond the healthy public criticism and apparently maligns the image of an individual without verified facts, knowingly,” the court observed.It added, “This is quite serious act done in a very uncontrolled casual manner, which may adversely affect the health of our democracy and a process of manufacturing of public consent and ruling party is responsible for controlling such acts.”The court said the videos contained politically calculated material favouring the ruling party against Jaintipura, who was stated to be from the opposition.“Thus, there is prima facie case and irreparable loss and balance of convenience in favour of the plaintiff,” it said, granting the interim injunction till the next hearing on Oct 22.
