According to the petition, the false posts wrongly claimed that Gadkari and his family were connected to the Centre’s E20 ethanol-blending programme and accused them of corruption.
Published: August 5, 2026, 12:37 PM IST
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‘Vile and abusive’: Bombay HC orders Meta, YouTube to remove deepfakes linking Nitin Gadkari to E20 controversy (Image: Nitin Gadkari X account)
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed social media platforms, including Meta and YouTube, to remove deepfake videos, AI-generated images and other misleading posts that falsely connect Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and his family to the E20 fuel controversyWhile granting interim relief, the court described the online content as “vile and abusive” and ordered the platforms to take it downThe court also said that if Gadkari identifies similar posts in the future, he can inform the intermediaries, which must then act on his complaint and remove the content in accordance with the law.
The order comes after Gadkari approached the High Court last week, seeking Rs 11 crore in damages for the alleged misuse of his identity through fake social media posts, AI-generated deepfakes and fabricated content.
According to the petition, the false posts wrongly claimed that Gadkari and his family were connected to the Centre’s E20 ethanol-blending programme and accused them of corruption.
In the 86-page lawsuit, filed through advocate Sandeep Laddha, Gadkari clarified that he has no role in framing, managing or implementing the Ethanol Blending Programme or the E20 initiativeThe petition stated that these policies are handled by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and not by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, which Gadkari heads.
