Court Orders Google to Act Against Fake Ads Claiming Sadhguru’s Arrest

The Delhi High Court has directed Google to deploy its technology to counter fake advertisements using AI-generated images of spiritual leader Sadhguru, including those falsely claiming his arrest. The directive came after Isha Foundation accused Google of failing to prevent the misuse of Sadhguru’s likeness in misleading deepfake videos and clickbait ads on YouTube.

Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, presiding over the case, instructed Google to address the issue using its technological capabilities and, if any limitations exist, to file an affidavit explaining them. The court also asked Google and Isha Foundation to collaborate on a long-term solution, ensuring that Isha does not have to repeatedly report fraudulent content.

It was revealed in court that Google’s existing ad policies prohibit the use of negative life events like arrest or death in clickbait promotions — a policy allegedly not being enforced. The court reminded Google of its obligations under the Intermediary Guidelines to deploy automated systems that proactively identify and remove identical or similar content already flagged under previous court orders.

Earlier, on May 30, 2025, the Delhi High Court granted Sadhguru protection of his personality rights, directing social media intermediaries, including Google, to take down infringing content. However, fake videos and ads falsely depicting Sadhguru’s arrest or endorsing fraudulent investment schemes have continued to surface, misleading the public and harming Sadhguru’s reputation.

Isha Foundation stated that such orchestrated misinformation undermines public trust and endangers online safety. The foundation urged users to report fake content on YouTube that falsely claims Sadhguru’s arrest as “scam” or “misleading.”