Bombay High Court Grants Nitin Gadkari Leave to Sue Meta, X, Google Over Alleged Deepfake E20 Posts

Mumbai, July 27, 2026: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has been granted leave by the Bombay High Court to institute a civil suit against Meta Platforms, X Corp, Google LLC and several other parties over alleged defamatory social media posts and AI-generated deepfake content linking him to the government's E20 ethanol-blended fuel programme.

The order was passed by Justice Abhay Ahuja, who granted Gadkari leave to institute the civil proceedings. The matter will now proceed in accordance with the court's directions, where the court is expected to consider interim relief, including requests to take down the disputed content and restrain its further circulation.

According to Gadkari's proposed suit, unidentified individuals allegedly circulated AI-generated deepfake videos, manipulated images and defamatory posts across various online platforms, falsely portraying him as personally responsible for India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme and the E20 fuel initiative.

The posts also allegedly claimed that Gadkari and members of his family had financially benefited from the policy — allegations he has rejected as false, fabricated, malicious and defamatory.

In his plea before the High Court, Gadkari argued that he has no administrative role in implementing either the EBP programme or the E20 initiative. According to the petition, both are administered exclusively by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, not the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways that he heads, and the online content in question falsely associated him with the policy while damaging his personal reputation and public image.

The petition further contends that the deepfake videos and manipulated content amount to an unauthorised use of his identity and personality rights, creating a misleading impression that he misused public office for private gain.

Through the proposed suit, Gadkari is seeking a court direction to social media platforms to take down the allegedly defamatory posts and AI-generated deepfake content, along with an order restraining any further circulation of the disputed material. He has also asked for permanent and mandatory injunctions against those responsible, as well as appropriate orders against the unidentified individuals — impleaded as "John Doe" defendants — allegedly involved in creating and spreading the content. According to the petition, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) have also been named as respondents.

Gadkari's petition clarifies that the legal action is not intended to suppress legitimate public debate or criticism of government policy. Rather, it argues that while fair criticism and political discussion remain protected, deliberately fabricated allegations and AI-manipulated deepfake content fall outside the bounds of lawful free expression and cause serious reputational harm.

The Bombay High Court granted leave under Clause XII of the Letters Patent, a procedural provision that allows the court to entertain a civil suit on its original side when part of the cause of action arises outside its territorial jurisdiction. Gadkari's legal team argued that although the disputed content was available nationwide, it was also accessible within Mumbai, giving the Bombay High Court jurisdiction to hear the matter.

The case is among the latest in a series of high-profile legal actions in India involving AI-generated deepfakes and online misinformation. As the use of artificial intelligence to create manipulated videos and images continues to grow, courts are increasingly being asked to determine the responsibilities of digital platforms and the legal remedies available to individuals whose identities are allegedly misused online.

The case may have implications for future litigation involving AI-generated content, online defamation and platform accountability in India.