The Bombay High Court on September 2 directed social media platform X to comply with its earlier order requiring removal of allegedly defamatory deepfake and AI-generated content linking Union Minister Nitin Gadkari with the E20 ethanol-blending policy.
Justice Arif Doctor also directed the concerned social media platforms to remove additional objectionable material recently brought before the Court by Gadkari. The matter has been posted for further hearing on September 16.
Background
The dispute arises from a defamation suit filed by Gadkari against Meta Platforms, X, Google and unidentified persons over online content that allegedly portrayed him as being responsible for the implementation of the Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP).
Gadkari's case is that the E20 policy falls within the domain of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. He has stated that although he has served as Road Transport and Highways Minister since 2014, he had no role in the policy decisions concerning E20.
According to his pleadings, unidentified users circulated AI-generated videos, manipulated images and other posts allegedly linking him and his family to financial benefits from the programme. At least 24 such posts were identified before the Court.
The plea also made clear that Gadkari was not seeking to prevent legitimate criticism of government policies or his public functions.
“The purpose and object of filing the Suit is not to curtail or prevent the public at large from engaging in discussion, debate, analysis or fair, just and bona fide criticism.”
The suit was allowed to proceed against the platforms and unidentified persons on July 27.
On August 5, Justice Doctor directed the platforms to remove the material identified in the proceedings. After examining the posts, the Court found the material to be “per se defamatory” and described some of it as abusive and vile.
The Court also directed the platforms to provide basic subscriber information concerning the users who had posted the material identified in the proceedings.
The August 5 order further recorded that if similar offending material came to Gadkari's notice, the same could be communicated to the platforms, subject to the position taken by the respondents regarding material falling into a grey area.
During the September 2 hearing, Gadkari's counsel, Advocate Sandeep Ladda, informed Justice Doctor that X had not yet removed some of the content covered by the earlier order. Other platforms, including Instagram, were stated to have removed the material.
Taking note of the submission, the Court directed X to comply with the August 5 order and also required the platform to file an affidavit-in-reply and a compliance report.
The Court additionally directed the respondent social media platforms to remove further objectionable material that had recently been brought to its notice by Gadkari.
Justice Arif Doctor consequently reiterated the direction for removal of the earlier identified content and ordered the platforms to take down the additional material highlighted during the hearing.
The matter was adjourned to September 16, 2026.
