Nitin Gadkari Gets Court Nod for E20 Deepfake Suit
The Bombay High Court has permitted Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to file a civil suit against Meta, Google, X and other entities over alleged defamatory posts and AI-generated deepfake content linked to the E20 fuel debate.
Bombay High Court Permits Gadkari Suit
The court granted Gadkari permission to institute the proposed suit on its original civil side. The approval was required because the disputed online content was accessible both within and outside Mumbai.
The order is procedural and does not determine whether the posts are defamatory or whether the social media platforms are legally responsible. These issues will be examined separately during the hearing of the main suit.
Gadkari Challenges E20 Deepfake Content
Gadkari has alleged that unidentified individuals circulated posts, videos, reels and AI-manipulated audio-visual material portraying him as personally responsible for the E20 petrol programme.
The content reportedly claimed that Gadkari and members of his family benefited financially from the government’s ethanol-blending policy. Gadkari has argued that these allegations are false and have damaged his reputation, goodwill and personality rights.
His plea states that the E20 fuel programme is administered by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and should not be presented as his personal initiative.
Meta Google and X Face Legal Action
The proposed defendants include Meta Platforms, Google, YouTube, X Corp, government departments and unidentified online content creators.
Gadkari has sought permanent and mandatory injunctions against the disputed content, along with damages of ₹11 crore. His plea clarifies that the action is not intended to restrict fair criticism or legitimate public debate based on verified information.
E20 petrol is a fuel blend containing 20% ethanol and 80% petrol. The programme aims to reduce crude oil imports and lower emissions, although concerns have been raised about mileage and compatibility with certain older vehicles.
