Delhi HC orders removal of AI-generated fake video against Udaipur's Taj Lake Palace

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has ordered removal of an AI-generated video which claimed that guests were poisoned by employees of hotel Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur.

The court said it was of the prima facie opinion that the contents of the video were false.

"This court finds merit in the submission of the plaintiff (The Indian Hotels Company Ltd) that circulation of such a false video directly infringes upon the plaintiff's reputation and grossly misrepresents the plaintiff's property Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur before the public," Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora said in an order passed on October 15.

The court passed the interim order on a suit filed by Tata Group's Indian Hotels Company Limited which runs and operates hotel brand Taj.

In March, TAJ was declared as a well-known trademark by the high court.

The plaintiff submitted that its Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur was awarded three Michelin Keys in the Global Michelin Keys Selection on October 8 which is a distinction that is awarded to the world's most remarkable and unique hotels.

However, soon thereafter it came to know that the John Doe defendant had published a "disparaging and false AI-generated deepfake video" through its Instagram page 'Travelagio' titled "Staff poisoned wealthy guests for 6 months..." It said the video falsely claimed that luxury tourists were murdered by poisoning at the Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, in 2018 by a member of the plaintiff's staff, and it was covered up by the authorities.

Interestingly, the video refers to an alleged 'local' plant, foxglove or 'digitalis' as the source of the poison, although the plant cannot grow in Udaipur, the plea said.

The video has garnered over 20,000 views, and several likes, shares, reposts, and comments.

The company reported this on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal but till date, no action has been taken.

Besides taking down the video, the court also restrained the defendant from circulating the video or any other content disparaging or infringing the TAJ trademarks, on any social media pages or websites.

It also asked Meta Platforms Inc to take steps and endeavour to take down the impugned video if re-uploaded or re-posted on any other social media handles on its platforms.

The court listed the suit for further proceedings on March 23, next year. PTI SKV ZMN