Court denies interim relief to man booked for making deepfake videos of Amitabh Bachchan

Mumbai, July 6

A court here on Saturday denied interim protection from arrest to the owner of a Uttarakhand-based Ayurveda firm booked for allegedly creating and posting a deepfake video of actor Amitabh Bachchan.

Sessions judge V M Pathade denied interim protection from arrest to Abhijit Patil, who runs an Ayurveda firm in Rishikesh.

Bachchan registered a case with the cyber police in May after coming across several deepfake videos on social media, which showed him promoting products of Patil’s company.

The accused had allegedly created and posted obscene deepfake videos of the actor to promote products for sexual health.

Fearing arrest, the accused had moved anticipatory bail before a sessions court and sought interim relief till his plea was decided.

The police, in its written response to Patil’s plea, underlined that persons accused of cyber crimes were under the impression that they would get bail even in cases where they steal the identity of celebrities and actors to make obscene videos.

Special public prosecutor, appearing for police, Iqbal Solkar, submitted that the investigation would be hampered if the accused is granted relief.

The police also argued that the accused had cheated the public and the actor’s fans “by creating a deepfake and using obscene language”.

The matter has been adjourned for hearing on the pre-arrest bail plea of the accused.

According to the police, they recorded statements from Patil’s employees, who revealed that the accused had created the videos and posted them on social media.

A notice was sent to Patil to appear before the cyber police on July 4, but despite coming to the city, he didn’t appear before the police, they said.