Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has filed a civil suit in the Bombay High Court against Meta, X, and Google seeking Rs 11 crore in damages over AI-generated deepfake content linking him and his family to the government’s E20 ethanol-blending programme. The suit demands injunctions to remove posts that Gadkari says falsely allege corruption related to the policy, which he states is managed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, not his ministry, according to medianama.com.
The lawsuit names Meta (Facebook and Instagram), X (formerly Twitter), and Google/YouTube as platform defendants, along with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Telecommunications. It also targets unknown users labeled as “Ashok Kumar/John Doe” to cover anonymous infringers. Gadkari’s plea argues that the content has crossed from political commentary into targeted defamation and unauthorized use of his identity. Justice Arif Doctor is set to hear the case, as reported by Bar and Bench via medianama.com.
The E20 Ethanol Blending Programme, introduced in 2003 to reduce crude oil imports and promote indigenous energy, aims to reach 20% ethanol blending in 2025-26. Gadkari’s suit emphasizes that the programme is administered by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, not the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, distancing himself from the alleged corruption claims. The case highlights growing legal challenges around AI-generated misinformation and deepfakes involving public figures and government policies.
The Bombay High Court will hear the plea filed by Nitin Gadkari, with Justice Arif Doctor presiding. The suit seeks Rs 11 crore in damages and removal of the disputed content from the platforms named, marking a significant legal action addressing AI deepfakes and misinformation in India’s digital space.