Delhi High Court Calls Meta to Court Over Comedian Pulkit Mani’s Copyright Dispute

The Delhi High Court, on Wednesday, issued formal summons to Meta Platforms and a handful of other defendants in a lawsuit lodged by Indian stand‑up comic and content creator Pulkit Mani. Mani claims his Instagram Reels were taken down after mysterious copyright complaints, and he says the resulting strikes are bogus.

During the hearing, Justice Jyoti Singh also ordered a notice on Mani’s request for interim relief. Mani’s counsel acknowledged that Meta informed the bench it had reinstated the two disputed Reels – a small win, but the larger fight over damages and accountability is far from over.

According to the petition, the comedian’s Instagram page – boasting more than 5.92 lakh followers – is a crucial outlet for his original jokes and sketches. He says the two Reels in question were his own creations, complete with proof of authorship and earlier publication dates. Yet, after unknown complainants filed copyright alerts, Meta’s automated system flagged the content, removed it, and slapped “copyright strikes” on Mani’s account.

Mani tried to use Meta’s internal appeal process, submitting evidence to contest the claims. He says, however, that the company never gave him a clear, reasoned decision. The lack of transparency, he argues, left his page vulnerable – multiple strikes could trigger restrictions, a temporary suspension, or even a permanent ban under Meta’s policies.

Adding a further twist, the comedian alleges he received threatening messages from unidentified individuals, warning of more copyright takedowns if he didn’t back down. The suit therefore not only targets the removal of the strikes but also seeks to uncover the identities of the mystery complainants.

In court, Meta pledged to hand over basic subscriber information and IP logs for several “John Doe” defendants (numbers 7‑10 and 13‑14) in a password‑protected document. Google likewise agreed to supply subscriber data for its listed defendants within two weeks, while WhatsApp said it would preserve the relevant phone‑number information and file it in sealed form within three weeks.

Mani’s demands are steep: a declaration that he owns the copyrighted material, an order erasing the false strikes, a directive preventing Meta from ever suspending his Instagram page on such grounds, and a hefty compensation of ₹2.20 crore for alleged financial loss and damage to his reputation. The court has scheduled a further hearing on his interim relief request for January 18.

While the tech giants scramble to comply with the court’s orders, the case underscores a growing tension between creators and social‑media platforms over automated copyright enforcement. For Mani, it’s a battle not just for his own content, but for the broader rights of digital artists navigating an increasingly opaque system.