The order specifically addresses social media posts that attribute false quotes to the former India captain, along with online listings selling unauthorized merchandise and “fake” autographed items.
Gavaskar is the first cricketer in India to pursue such legal protection, aiming to defend his personality rights against those exploiting his likeness for commercial benefits or misinformation.
At the heart of the legal battle was the potential harm these viral untruths could cause to Gavaskar’s professional reputation.
As per the report, his legal team pointed out that numerous posts included fabricated, highly critical remarks about the current Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and star batter Virat Kohli.
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His counsel stressed the seriousness of these misattributions, claiming that “such quotes could severely undermine his reputation as a broadcaster and cricket commentator regarding current issues.”
The court’s instruction mandates users to remove infringing URLs within 72 hours; otherwise, the platforms must take action.
Furthermore, after the provision of Basic Subscriber Information (BSI) and IP logs, Gavaskar’s team has been instructed to include specific users accountable for the posts.
This case follows an increasing trend of high-profile “personality rights” litigation in India, placing Gavaskar among celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor, who have successfully engaged the court to prevent unauthorized exploitation of their public identity.
