Nitin Gadkari Gets Bombay HC Nod to Sue Meta, X, Google Over Deepfakes Linking Him to E20 Fuel Policy
The Bombay High Court has allowed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to file a civil defamation suit against Meta, X and Google over alleged deepfakes and defamatory content linking him and his family to the Centre's E20 ethanol-blended petrol initiative. The case targets major tech platforms and unidentified creators of the content.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has been granted permission by the Bombay High Court to institute a civil lawsuit against major tech platforms, including Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and Google, over alleged deepfakes and defamatory content linking him and his family to the government's E20 ethanol-blended petrol initiative.
The court order allows Gadkari to proceed with legal action against the social media companies, as well as several unidentified accounts and digital entities involved in creating and circulating the content. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) have also been named as respondents in the matter. E20 Fuel Row: Nitin Gadkari Moves Bombay High Court Over Alleged Defamatory Posts and Deepfake Videos.
In his petition, Gadkari stated that a coordinated misinformation campaign utilizing AI-generated deepfake videos, manipulated media, and posts falsely claimed that his family was financially benefiting from the nationwide rollout of E20 fuel. He emphasized that the content is malicious, misleading, and intended to tarnish his public image.
Clarifying his institutional role, Gadkari pointed out that the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme falls entirely under the administrative domain of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, rather than the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Consequently, he stated that he holds no role in formulating, administering, or implementing E20 policies, rendering the online claims factually incorrect.
The lawsuit seeks immediate directives ordering digital platforms to remove all deepfakes, altered media clips, and associated posts. Additionally, the plea requests a legal injunction to restrain further publication and dissemination of similar content across digital channels. Nitin Gadkari Rejects Conflict of Interest Allegations Over Ethanol Policy, Calls Criticism ‘Politically Motivated’.
While the Bombay High Court granted permission to initiate the suit, Gadkari's plea for interim relief will be taken up during subsequent proceedings.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 27, 2026 04:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
