Gadkari takes legal action against Meta, X and Google over alleged AI deepfakes

• The Bombay High Court has allowed Nitin Gadkari to file a civil suit against Meta, X and Google over alleged AI-generated deepfakes.
• Gadkari says manipulated videos falsely linked him to India's ethanol-blended fuel programme and damaged his reputation.
• The minister is seeking the removal of the disputed content and a temporary injunction against its circulation.

The Bombay High Court has allowed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to file a civil suit against Meta Platforms, X Corp, Google LLC and others over alleged AI-generated deepfake videos and manipulated online content that he says falsely linked him to India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme and the E20 fuel initiative.

The case could become an important test of how technology platforms respond to AI-generated misinformation and defamatory content, as Gadkari seeks court directions to remove the material and prevent its further circulation.

Justice Abhay Ahuja granted permission for the suit to be instituted before the Bombay High Court. The court will consider Gadkari's application for interim relief, including a temporary injunction, at a later date.

The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Union Ministry of Telecommunications have also been named as respondents.

Deepfakes at the centre of the dispute

According to the petition, Gadkari has been falsely portrayed in online posts and AI-generated videos as being responsible for the implementation of the EBP programme and the E20 initiative.

The suit argues that both programmes are administered exclusively by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and that Gadkari has no official role or connection with either initiative.

The petition also alleges that unidentified individuals circulated manipulated videos and social media posts claiming that Gadkari and his family had personally benefited from the ethanol-blended fuel programme.

According to the suit, those allegations are false and create a misleading impression that the minister misused his public office for private financial gain, causing serious damage to his reputation.

Not a challenge to criticism, Gadkari says

The petition makes it clear that the legal action is not intended to prevent public debate or criticism of government policies.

Instead, Gadkari argues that the case is aimed at content that is "false, fabricated and defamatory", reportedly stating that AI-generated deepfake videos amount to an unauthorised use of his personality and publicity rights without his consent.

The suit further argues that the abusive language contained in some of the disputed material falls outside the scope of legitimate political criticism or satire and has caused reputational harm that cannot be adequately compensated through monetary damages.

Gadkari has asked the High Court to direct the defendants to remove the disputed content, disable access to it and prevent its further circulation.

The case follows a police complaint filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party's Nagpur social media cell against several social media influencers and content creators over posts allegedly linking Gadkari to the ethanol-blended fuel controversy.