E20 petrol row: Nitin Gadkari moves Bombay HC over 'defamatory' posts, deepfake videos targeting him

Union minister Nitin Gadkari moved the Bombay High Court against defamatory posts and deepfake videos targeting him in connection with the E20 ethanol-blended petrol programme.

The Bombay High Court permitted Gadkari to file a civil suit under Clause XII of the Letters Patent, as part of the cause of action arose in Mumbai where the content was viewable.

Gadkari alleged unknown persons circulated AI-generated deepfake content falsely portraying him as personally responsible for the E20 programme and claiming he and his family financially benefited from it.

The proposed suit seeks permanent and mandatory injunctions against circulation of defamatory and deepfake material, including social media posts, videos, and AI-manipulated content imitating Gadkari's name, image, and voice.