Nitin Gadkari takes Meta, X to court over AI deepfakes on E20 rules

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has received the Bombay High Court's approval to file a civil suit against social media giants Meta Platforms, X Corp, and Google LLC. The legal action stems from allegedly defamatory AI-generated deepfake videos and manipulated digital content that falsely link Gadkari to the ethanol-blended fuel controversy.

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The purpose and object of filing the suit is not to curtail or prevent the public at large from engaging in discussion, debate, analysis or fair, just and bona fide criticism of any decision taken by the plaintiff himself or by his office.

The suit specifically targets content that wrongly associates Gadkari with the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) program and the E20 initiative. According to Gadkari's plea, these programs are exclusively managed by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and he has no personal involvement.

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The purpose and object of filing the suit is not to curtail or prevent the public at large from engaging in discussion, debate, analysis or fair, just and bona fide criticism of any decision taken by the plaintiff himself or by his office.

Justice Abhay Ahuja granted Gadkari permission to initiate the suit, with a future date set for hearing his application for interim relief, including a temporary injunction. The Union Ministries of Electronics and Information Technology and Telecommunications are also named as respondents. Gadkari's legal team emphasized that the suit aims not to prevent public discussion or criticism of his actions or government policies, but to address content that is "ex facie false, fabricated, malicious, abusive and grossly defamatory."

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The purpose and object of filing the suit is not to curtail or prevent the public at large from engaging in discussion, debate, analysis or fair, just and bona fide criticism of any decision taken by the plaintiff himself or by his office.