Nitin Gadkari Initiates Legal Action Against Defamatory Online Content

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has filed a suit in the Bombay High Court targeting alleged defamatory posts and deepfake content associated with him and his family. The content links them to supposed profits arising from the E20 ethanol programme, which is under the administration of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

The court has approved Gadkari's request to file a civil suit against Meta and other social media platforms, as well as unspecified entities that are reported to have either hosted or facilitated the circulation of the disputed materials.

The application for the suit was submitted under Clause XII of the Letters Patent. This particular clause allows the court to accept a case on its civil side, even if some aspects are outside the court's territorial boundaries. This step was deemed necessary due to the nature of the postings being accessible in Mumbai while also circulating on platforms outside the city.

During the proceedings, Justice Abhay Ahuja reviewed the case. Gadkari's attorney, advocate Sandeep S Ladda, argued that the contested materials were not only widely viewed in Mumbai but were also available to users beyond the local jurisdiction, thus justifying the suit's filing.

Justice Ahuja subsequently granted Gadkari the green light to proceed with legal action. This development follows an initial information report (FIR) lodged in Nagpur against four social media influencers accused of disseminating misinformation about the Union Minister related to the E20 programme. The FIR includes well-known figures such as YouTuber-politician Manish Kashyap and influencers associated with the Instagram account Desi Boys, as well as Harshit Rathi and Ankleash Invatee.

The controversy surrounding the E20 fuel blend, comprising 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol, has sparked considerable public debate. The Indian government defends the rollout of the E20 policy, asserting its safety for compatible vehicles and its importance in India's transition to alternative energy sources. However, it has faced criticism from various motorists, automobile enthusiasts, and social media personalities, who express concerns regarding fuel efficiency and the potential negative effects of higher ethanol levels on older vehicles, which are not engineered for E20 use.