In a significant relief for playback singer Sonu Nigam, the Bombay High Court has issued a restraining order against a social media user who was impersonating him online and posting controversial content.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Nigam, who alleged that his personality rights were being violated by a man named Sonu Nigam Singh, a criminal lawyer from Bihar. Singh had been using the X (formerly Twitter) handle “Sonu Nigam” to share politically and communally charged content, which many mistook to be from the singer himself. This led to backlash and confusion directed at the real Sonu Nigam.
On Friday, Justice R.I. Chagla passed an ex-parte interim order directing Singh to display his full name on the platform to avoid further misrepresentation, according to a report by Bar and Bench.
Representing the singer, advocate Hiren Kamod stated that Singh deliberately hid his true identity, especially when making sensitive remarks. Kamod submitted evidence of at least 14 instances where the impersonator’s posts had communal overtones.
He further argued that Singh had gained personal traction by misusing Nigam’s celebrity status, amassing over 90,000 followers, including several public figures. It’s worth noting that Sonu Nigam had quit X back in 2017, distancing himself from social media interactions.
The court’s order is seen as a step forward in protecting public figures from digital impersonation and misuse of identity.
