Ludhiana (Punjab) [India], April 10 (ANI): A Ludhiana court has given strict instructions to various social media platforms to take down a controversial audio clip doing rounds where a senior police official is allegedly demanding sexual favours.

The petition filed by social activist Devinder Singh Kalra in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class Vibha Rana argues that the audio and video content in relation to the matter involving the senior police official 'allegedly contains AI-generated impersonated/voice-cloned audio and visuals targeting law enforcement personnel'.

The petition said that the material was not only 'misleading' but also capable of 'disturbing public order' and warranted judicial intervention in the absence of direct personal injury since it could pose a 'threat' to peace and public trust in law enforcement institutions.

'The applicant has enclosed with the application several URLs and corresponding downloaded versions of videos contained in a pen drive, which are alleged to carry defamatory and misleading content involving impersonation of a senior police officer demanding sexual favours,' Kalra said in his petition to the court.

Considering the arguments made by the counsel for the applicant, the court supported the applicant's claim that the audio content was likely to be 'AI-generated synthetic speech'.

'The Court is inclined to accept the argument that such content, being prima facie defamatory and impersonative in nature, does not fall within the scope of protected speech or public interest journalism. Rather, it constitutes targeted and unauthenticated character assassination, warranting judicial intervention to prevent further dissemination and to safeguard the dignity of public institutions and societal peace,' the court said.

Finding such posts and videos online detrimental to societal harmony and discipline, the court stated that unchecked publication of such targeted and defamatory content on platforms like Youtube, Facebook, and X could lead to erosion of trust in policing and governance.

'No person, group, page, handler, or digital entity shall post, repost, tag, upload, or circulate the impugned content or any content of similar nature concerning the same individual(s) or institution(s), if the same is unauthenticated, unverified, fabricated, or intended to malign, defame, or damage the dignity of any person or institution, especially the law enforcement agency,' the court order read. (ANI)