Nagpur: Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday secured permission from Bombay high court to file a civil suit against Meta Platforms, Google LLC, X Corp, and others seeking removal of allegedly “false, fabricated, and defamatory” deepfake videos and AI-generated manipulated digital content linked to the E20-blending programme and falsely linking him and his family to financial gains.“The object of filing the suit is not to prevent 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,” Gadkari’s suit claims, adding online content falsely associates him with the E20 programme. Gadkari has no role in the E20 programme, the proposed suit says, adding the policy falls under the jurisdiction of the ministry of petroleum and natural gas.According to the proposed suit, the disputed content includes social media posts and AI-generated deepfakes portraying the Nagpur MP as the driving force behind the ethanol-blending policy and alleging that he and his family profited from it.Officials from Gadkari’s Nagpur office told TOI that the decision to implement ethanol blending was taken by the Union Cabinet and not by the ministry headed by Gadkari.Gadkari’s counsel Sandeep Ladda submitted that the allegedly defamatory content was accessible in Mumbai and intended for consumption by users there, thereby establishing part of the cause of action within the court’s jurisdiction. Since the same material was also available on internet platforms beyond Mumbai, permission under Clause XII was required before the suit could be formally instituted. After hearing the submissions, the court granted the request.Gadkari alleged that “several fake, AI-generated and defamatory” posts and videos concerning ethanol-blended fuel had been uploaded and circulated online by unknown individuals. The suit claims that the content falsely depicts him as having personally promoted the ethanol-blending programme for private financial gain.“The allegations made in the posts are false, malicious and grossly defamatory without an iota of doubt, and are designed to create a misleading public perception against Gadkari,” the proposed suit states.Through the civil proceedings, Gadkari seeks permanent injunctions restraining publication, sharing and circulation of the allegedly defamatory content.
