Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has initiated a civil defamation suit in the Bombay High Court against Meta, various social media platforms, and unidentified entities. The legal action comes in response to viral deepfakes that falsely associate Gadkari and his family with personal financial benefits derived from India’s E20 ethanol blending program.
The lawsuit asserts that the defamatory content misrepresents the reality of the E20 mandate, which is designed and overseen by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, not by Gadkari for personal gain. The Bombay High Court has granted Gadkari permission to proceed with the civil suit, following submissions from his counsel, advocate Sandeep S Ladda.
Ladda argued that while the deepfakes were accessible globally, their widespread visibility within Mumbai established a substantial cause for action within the court's jurisdiction. This procedural step was filed under Clause XII of the Letters Patent, addressing disputes where a part of the cause of action falls outside the court's usual territorial limits.
This civil action follows a criminal First Information Report (FIR) registered two weeks prior in Nagpur. That FIR targeted four social media influencers—YouTuber-politician Manish Kashyap, the Instagram handle Desi Boys (desi_boysncr), Harshit Rathi, and Ankleash Invatee—accused of disseminating false information concerning the Union Minister and the E20 fuel rollout.
Understanding the E20 Fuel Debate
The legal offensive by Nitin Gadkari unfolds amidst ongoing public debate surrounding the Centre’s push for E20 fuel, a blend comprising 20 percent ethanol and 80 percent petrol. The government advocates for E20, citing its role in enhancing national energy security by reducing reliance on imported crude oil and creating new revenue streams for sugar mills and farmers in sugarcane-producing regions.
Despite the government's assurances that E20 is safe for compatible vehicles, the policy has encountered pushback from motorists and online critics. Concerns often raised include claims of reduced fuel efficiency and potential damage to older engine models not designed for higher ethanol blends.