The Bombay High Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing on Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's plea seeking the removal of allegedly defamatory AI-generated deepfake videos and digital content circulating online. The matter has now been posted for hearing on August 5.
Gadkari has sought directions against social media platforms, including Meta, Google and X, along with unidentified persons, alleging that fabricated videos and manipulated content falsely portray him as being directly involved in the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme and the E20 fuel initiative. According to the minister, the content also falsely claims that he and his family financially benefited from the policy, damaging his reputation.
The minister has maintained that the EBP programme does not fall under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and that he had no role in framing or implementing the policy. His proposed civil suit seeks the immediate removal of the allegedly false content, an injunction restraining its further circulation, and other reliefs against those responsible for creating and sharing the material.
Earlier, the High Court granted Gadkari permission to institute the civil suit under Clause XII of the Letters Patent, as part of the alleged cause of action arose outside the court's territorial jurisdiction. The case comes amid increasing concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology to spread misinformation and harm public figures.
