Dr Anita R Ratnam v. Meta Platforms Inc Represented by Its Authorized and 8 Others

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 28-01-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE SENTHILKUMAR RAMAMOORTHY O.A.Nos.468 to 472 of 2025 in C.S.(Comm.Div)No.119 of 2025 In all five OAs. Dr.Anita R Ratnam, 10 Cenotaph 2nd Lane, Teynampet, Chennai 600018. ..Applicant/Plaintiff Vs

¶1Meta Platforms, Inc Represented by its Authorized Signatory, 1 Meta Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.

¶2Telegram FZ – LLC, Represented by its Authorized signatory, P O Box 501919, Business Central Towers, Tower A Office, 1003/1004, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

¶3Indian Overseas Bank, Represented by its General Manager, No 21, North Mada Street, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004. Also at Branch Office, Joseph School, Civil Lines, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh - 273 001.

¶4Bank of India, Represented by its General Manager, At Post Raxauldistt, West Champaran, Bihar 845305.

¶5Shubham Kumar, (John Doe) Not Known

¶6Rashmika Gavit (John Doe) Not Known

¶7Pooja Sawant (John Doe) Not Known

¶8Harpreet Kaur (John Doe) Not Known

¶9Shivam Dubey S/o.Krishna Mohan Dubey, H.No.C374, Rapti Nagar Phase, Gorakhpur Pin:273001. (Amended as per order dated 23.07.2025 in A.No.3508 of 2025) ..Respondents/ Defendants Prayer in O.A.No.468 of 2025 Application is filed under Order XIV Rule 8 of the Original Side Rules Read With Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2 of the CPC, 1908 to grant an ad interim injunction, restraining Respondents 5 to 9/Defendants 5 to 9, their associates, servants, agents, affiliates, holding companies, assignees, substitutes, representatives, group entities, their subscribers, employees and/or persons claiming through them or under them and all other persons from infringing the Applicant/Plaintiff's personality rights by utilizing and/or in any manner directly and/or indirectly, using or exploiting or misappropriating the applicant/Plaintiff's personality or publicity rights by the use of the Applicant/Plaintiff's image or name or caricature or sketch or photographs or videos or voice or any other attribute which is exclusively identifiable with the Applicant/Plaintiff for any commercial and/or personal gain and/or otherwise by exploiting them in any manner whatsoever without the Applicant/Plaintiff's consent and/or authorization, any medium including online social media platforms such as Facebook, Telegram, Instagram, Twitter in any formats online or offline in any manner whatsoever pending disposal of the suit. Prayer in O.A.No.469 of 2025: Application is filed under Order XIV Rule 8 of the Original Side Rules Read With Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2 of the CPC, 1908 to grant an ad interim injunction, restraining Respondents 5 to 9/Defendants 5 to 9, their associates, servants, agents, affiliates, holding companies, assignees, substitutes, representatives, group entities, their subscribers, employees and/or persons claiming through them or under them and all other persons from passing off their goods and/or services as those emanating or being endorsed by the Applicant/Plaintiff by utilising and/or in any manner directly and/or indirectly, using or exploiting or misappropriating the applicant/Plaintiff's personality or publicity rights by the use of the Applicant/Plaintiff's image or name or caricature or sketch or photographs, videos or voice or any other attribute which is exclusively identifiable with her for any commercial and/or personal gain and/or otherwise by exploiting them in any manner whatsoever without the Applicant/Plaintiff's consent and/or authorization in any manner whatsoever pending disposal of the suit. Prayer in O.A.No.470 of 2025 Application is filed under Order XIV Rule 8 of the Original Side Rules Read With Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2 of the CPC, 1908 to grant an ad interim injunction, restraining each of the Respondents 5 to 9/Defendants 5 to 9, their associates, servants, agents, affiliates, holding companies, assignees, substitutes, representatives, group entities, their subscribers, employees and/or persons claiming through them or under them and all other persons from reproducing the Applicant/Plaintiff's original artistic works, cinematographic works and sound recording or performing any actions which amount to the infringement of copyright in applicant/Plaintiff's original artistic works, cinematographic works and sound recording in any manner whatsoever pending disposal of the suit. Prayer in O.A.No.471 of 2025 Application is filed under Order XIV Rule 8 of the Original Side Rules Read With Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2 of the CPC, 1908 to grant an ad interim injunction, restraining Respondents 5 to 9/Defendants 5 to 9, their associates, servants, agents, affiliates, holding companies, assignees, substitutes, representatives, group entities, their subscribers, employees and/or persons claiming through them or under them and all other persons to directly or indirect dealing, in any manner, in any goods and/or services exploiting the Applicant/Plaintiff's personality or publicity rights by the use of the Applicant/Plaintiff's image or name or caricature or sketch or photographs or videos or voice or any other attribute which is exclusively identifiable with her without the Applicant/Plaintiff's consent and/or authorization as also from causing misrepresentation, dilution of the goodwill and reputation of the Applicant/Plaintiff's personality rights or doing any other thing which will lead to dilution of Applicant/Plaintiff's Intellectual Properties in any manner whatsoever pending disposal of the suit. Prayer in O.A.No.472 of 2025 Application is filed under Order XIV Rule 8 of the Original Side Rules Read With Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2 of the CPC, 1908 to grant an ad interim injunction restraining Defendant No.3 and 5, from allowing any party including especially Defendants No.5 to 9 directly or indirectly, operating, registering, reviewing, effectuating transfer of any of money and permanently block the bank account bearing 497310110021228 and 197202000000255 and every other account operated by such parties in any manner whatsoever pending disposal of the suit. In all applications: For Applicant: Ms. Jaya Bharathi T.S. for Mr.M.S.Bharath For Respondents: Ms.J.Akila for R1 Ms.Haree Priya E.N. for Mr.Thriyambak J.Kannan for R2 Ms.V.Rajeshwari for R3 COMMON ORDER An ad interim order was granted in these applications on 30.04.2025. The operative paragraph thereof is as under: "3. On prima facie assessment, it appears that the celebrity status and personality rights of the plaintiff have been misused for commercial purposes. It also appears that the use by the unnamed defendants through defendants 1 and 2 would not fall within the fair use exception. Therefore, there shall be an order of interim injunction directing respondents 1 and 2 to take down the links mentioned in paragraph 35 of the plaint. If similar links are identified by the plaintiff and communicated to the first and second respondents, such link shall also be taken down in terms of this order."

¶2The said order was clarified by subsequent order dated 11.06.2025. The operative paragraph thereof is as under: "2. Learned counsel for the first defendant states that the links mentioned in paragraph 35 of the plaint were taken down. As regards the direction to take down similar links identified by the plaintiff and communicated to the said defendant, she submits that the first defendant may be given the right to refuse if such URL is outside the scope of the plaint. The said request is eminently reasonable and the order is clarified to restrict the obligation to take down to links falling within the scope of the suit. Subject to this clarification, the interim order issued earlier is extended until the next date of hearing."

¶3Except the ninth respondent, the other respondents are either intermediaries, banks or unknown persons described as John Does. After despatching notice to the ninth respondent, the plaintiff has filed an affidavit of service dated 09.10.2025 stating that notice was delivered to the ninth respondent on 04.10.2025. The tracking report enclosed with the affidavit corroborates the said statement. In spite of service of notice, the ninth respondent has not entered appearance to contest the matter. In these circumstances, all these interim applications are disposed of in terms of the earlier orders, the operative paragraphs whereof are extracted above. 28-01-2026 KJ (1/2) SENTHILKUMAR RAMAMOORTHY J. KJ O.A.Nos.468 to 472 of 2025 in C.S.(Comm.Div)No.119 of 2025 28-01-2026 (1/2)