The Bombay High Court has granted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari the right to initiate a civil suit against Meta Platforms Inc and others, for allegedly defamatory and deepfake content circulated about him concerning the E20 fuel program. The case, titled Nitin Gadkari v. Meta Platforms Inc & Ors., was presented under Clause XII of the Letters Patent, a procedural step required when part of the cause of action occurs outside the High Court’s jurisdiction.
Justice Abhay Ahuja presided over the matter on Monday, with Advocate Sandeep S Ladda representing Gadkari. Ladda argued that the defamatory content was accessible to users in Mumbai, thereby placing part of the cause of action within the territorial limits of the Bombay High Court. Concurrently, as the content is also accessible outside Mumbai, Clause XII leave was deemed necessary to proceed.
Following the submissions, Justice Ahuja approved the leave to file the suit, which will allow Gadkari to pursue a substantive civil case on the original side of the Bombay High Court. The suit is proposed against Meta and various other entities, including social media platforms and unidentified individuals, accused of hosting or spreading the contentious content.
Nitin Gadkari, currently serving as the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, has clarified that the ethanol blending and E20 policy fall under the purview of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The E20 fuel, comprising 20% ethanol and 80% petrol, is part of India’s strategy to curb crude oil imports and emissions while promoting domestic biofuels. However, concerns have been raised regarding potential compatibility issues for older vehicles with this new fuel blend.
In his legal plea, Gadkari asserts that misleading posts and deepfake content have been circulated, falsely portraying him as personally accountable for the E20 program. These posts allegedly claim that Gadkari and his family have financially gained from the initiative. Gadkari’s suit emphasizes that these allegations are baseless, malicious, and defamatory, designed to damage his reputation and suggest misuse of his public office for personal profit.
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The proposed suit, filed through Advocate Ladda, seeks permanent and mandatory injunctions against the dissemination of the “defamatory and deepfake content.” This includes social media posts, tweets, videos, and AI-manipulated audio-visuals that falsely attribute statements to Gadkari, using his likeness without consent. Gadkari argues that this content has caused significant harm to his reputation, goodwill, and public image, infringing upon his personality and publicity rights.
Importantly, the plaint clarifies that the action is not intended to suppress genuine public discourse or legitimate criticism. It underlines that the suit targets reckless and defamatory allegations that surpass the boundaries of lawful expression.
The defendants named in the suit include Meta (Facebook and Instagram), X Corp, Google LLC, YouTube, the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Department of Telecommunications. Additionally, unidentified creators and spreaders of the content are listed as “Ashok Kumars/John Does.”
