The Bombay High Court has allowed Union minister Nitin Gadkari to proceed with a civil defamation suit over alleged deepfake videos and social media posts tied to India’s E20 ethanol-blended petrol programme. The case names Meta, X, Google and unidentified individuals as defendants.
Gadkari’s plea alleges that the content falsely suggests he and his family financially benefited from the government’s ethanol blending push. It says the material is defamatory, misleading and malicious, and seeks to stop its further spread.
The suit also asks for the removal of the disputed content, blocking of access and damages. Gadkari argues the posts and videos have damaged his reputation by implying misuse of public office for private gain.
The court’s permission is procedurally significant because part of the cause of action is said to have arisen outside the court’s territorial jurisdiction. The lawyer for Gadkari invoked Clause XII of the Letters Patent to secure leave to file the suit on the original side of the Bombay High Court.
The matter adds to a series of court actions involving allegedly manipulated digital content. According to the provided material, Justice Abhay Ahuja had earlier permitted actor Preity Zinta to file a similar deepfake-related case against Google and Meta under the same procedural route.
The suit is framed as targeting fabricated content rather than criticism of policy. Its next stage will determine whether Gadkari can obtain interim relief, including a temporary injunction against further circulation of the material.
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