Nitin Gadkari cleared to sue Meta and others over E20 deepfake allegations
The Bombay High Court granted Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari permission to file a civil defamation suit against Meta Platforms, Google LLC, X Corp, YouTube, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Department of Telecommunications and several unidentified “John Doe” entities. Justice Abhay Ahuja allowed the petition under Clause XII of the Letters Patent because the alleged defamatory and AI‑generated deep‑fake material is accessible nationwide, meaning part of the cause of action arises outside the court’s territorial jurisdiction.
Gadkari asserts he has no role in the E20 ethanol‑blended fuel programme, which is administered by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and that the deep‑fake posts falsely link him and his family to profit from the scheme. The suit seeks permanent and mandatory injunctions to remove the alleged defamatory content and to prevent further dissemination, while stating it does not aim to restrict lawful public criticism or debate.
Entities: Bombay High Court · Bombay High Court · E20 ethanol programme · Google LLC · Meta Platforms · Meta Platforms Inc · Nitin Gadkari · X Corp
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 11 SOURCES] Gadkari asserts he has no role or nexus with the E20 programme, which is administered by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. (Gadkari)
- [● 11 SOURCES] The alleged deepfake content claimed Gadkari and his family financially benefited from the E20 ethanol‑blended fuel programme. (all Gadkari-related articles)
- [● 11 SOURCES] The Bombay High Court granted Nitin Gadkari permission to file a civil suit over alleged defamatory deepfake content. (Bombay High Court)
- [● 11 SOURCES] Justice Abhay Ahuja presided over the hearing and granted leave for the suit. (Bombay High Court)
- [● 11 SOURCES] The suit clarifies that it does not aim to restrict fair criticism or public debate. (all Gadkari-related articles)
- [● 11 SOURCES] The suit seeks permanent and mandatory injunctions to remove the alleged defamatory deepfake content from the platforms. (Plaintiff)
- [● 11 SOURCES] The alleged deepfake content includes AI‑generated videos, audio and images impersonating Gadkari's voice and appearance without consent. (Plaintiff)
- [● 11 SOURCES] The petition was filed under Clause XII of the Letters Patent because part of the cause of action arises outside the High Court's territorial jurisdiction. (Petitioner)
- [● 11 SOURCES] Gadkari claims he has no role in the E20 programme, which is administered by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. (Gadkari's suit)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The E20 fuel programme blends 20 % ethanol with petrol to reduce crude‑oil imports, lower emissions and promote domestic biofuels. (Government policy description)
- [● 11 SOURCES] Gadkari seeks permanent injunctions and removal of the alleged defamatory content. (Gadkari's suit)
- [● 11 SOURCES] The alleged deepfake content links Gadkari and his family to profit from the E20 ethanol‑blended fuel programme. (Plaintiff)