The accused are accused of creating lewd deepfake videos of Amitabh Bachchan and posting them on social media to promote sexual health products, with the prosecution arguing that the lewd videos have tarnished Bachchan's image across the world.
Amitabh Bachchan becomes latest victim of deepfakes
A pre-arrest bail petition filed by Avijit Patil, who runs an Ayurvedic medicines firm in Rishikesh, was rejected by Judge VM Patade. A detailed order is yet to be issued.
The accused are accused of creating obscene deepfake videos of Bachchan and posting them on social media to promote sexual health products.
After the case was filed against him here, Patil filed an anticipatory bail application.
He said the allegations against him were “baseless, false and fabricated” and that he had not committed any crime.
Police had argued against him finding guilty, saying cybercriminals tend to think they can easily get bail even if they steal personal details of celebrities and actors to make fake pornographic videos. This emboldens them, prosecutors told the court.
Special Public Prosecutor Iqbal Solkar said the investigation would be hampered if the accused evaded arrest.
The prosecution alleged that the obscene video had tarnished Bachchan's image across the world.
The judge subsequently dismissed Patil's petition.
Bachchan's lawyers had filed a complaint with Mumbai's cyber police on May 4 after they found several deepfake videos in which Bachchan was seen using obscene language to promote products of Patil's company.
