Mumbai High Court to Hear Petition Against Deepfake Videos Targeting Minister Gadkari

The Mumbai High Court is set to hear a significant case on August 5, where Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has filed a petition against deepfake videos and AI-generated posts that allegedly damage his reputation. The petition targets major platforms and seeks to halt the spread of misleading content that falsely implicates Gadkari in financial gains from ethanol-blended fuel. This case raises important questions about the impact of technology on personal reputation and the boundaries of free expression. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 28, 2026, 16:22 IST

Court Proceedings on Deepfake Video Case

On July 28, the Mumbai High Court announced that it will hear a petition filed by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari regarding derogatory deepfake videos and AI-generated posts related to the ethanol policy on August 5. The bench, led by Justice Arif Doctor, instructed Gadkari's lawyer, Sandeep Ladda, to serve copies of the civil petition to the respondents, which include 'Meta', 'X Corp', 'Google LLC', and unidentified individuals. The petition seeks a permanent injunction against the dissemination of social media posts that allegedly harm Gadkari's reputation.

Deepfake videos are created using artificial intelligence (AI) to make it appear as though individuals are saying or doing things they never actually did. In his petition, Gadkari has requested the immediate removal of false and fabricated content and a ban on the spread of such materials. The senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that numerous fake, AI-generated, and defamatory posts are circulating online concerning the issue of ethanol-blended fuel.

The petition states that unknown individuals have uploaded and circulated deepfake videos and posts that personally implicate Gadkari in the ethanol-blended fuel matter, alleging that he and his family have gained financially from it. It asserts that these actions have caused irreparable damage to Gadkari's reputation and personality rights. According to the petition, the allegations made in the social media posts are 'false, malicious, and highly defamatory,' crafted to create a misleading perception of Gadkari among the public.

It is clarified in the petition that the implementation of the ethanol-blended fuel program and the E-20 policy is managed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, rather than by Gadkari personally. However, the petition emphasizes that there is no intention to suppress fair or good-faith comments, but it argues that irresponsible and defamatory accusations have crossed the legal boundaries of expression.