Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa gets Court protection against Online Identity misuse

The Delhi High Court has stepped in to protect Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa from online impersonation, restraining unidentified individuals and social media platforms from using his name, image, or professional credentials without consent, and directing the immediate removal of infringing content, an order underscoring judicial intolerance toward digital identity fraud.

Pahwa approached the High Court after discovering that his photographs and identity were circulating across social media platforms, allegedly to mislead the public and facilitate financial fraud. He contended that the unauthorised use of his image not only deceived unsuspecting individuals but also caused serious reputational harm.

During the hearing, his counsel pointed out that the misuse was actively occurring on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, with the impersonators presenting themselves in a manner calculated to gain trust and extract money.

Justice Jyoti Singh found merit in the grievance and acknowledged the real risk posed by such impersonation in the digital space. Noting the submission that “those pictures are being used to defraud people,” the Court held that immediate protection of Pahwa’s name, identity, and registration particulars was necessary.

The Court accordingly restrained unnamed persons from further misuse and directed social media intermediaries to take down the offending content forthwith.