Court Orders Removal of Defamatory Posts Against Union Minister Gadkari
High Court's Ruling on Defamatory Online Content
On August 5, the Bombay High Court declared that posts shared on social media and various online platforms targeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari are "extremely hateful, derogatory, obscene, and defamatory." The court mandated the immediate removal of all such content. Justice Arif Doctor, presiding over the case, granted interim relief to Gadkari and instructed 'Meta', 'X Corp', and 'Google LLC' to ensure the prompt deletion of these posts.
The court remarked, "At first glance, these posts are offensive, extremely hateful, and obscene." The bench emphasized that such content should not exist on the internet, especially where it can be viewed by the youth. The court also inquired whether these online platforms have any systems in place to remove objectionable content without requiring individuals to approach the court. It stated that these platforms should voluntarily take down such posts.
Justice Doctor questioned, "With such advanced technology available, do you not have a mechanism to identify such content? If someone posts obscene or derogatory material, it should be flagged and removed immediately. This is utterly disgusting."
The court noted that if similar posts, including deepfake or AI-generated content, appear in the future, Gadkari can reach out to the respective online platforms for action. Justice Doctor insisted that a system should be developed to allow platforms to remove such content independently, eliminating the need for individuals to go to court. The next hearing for the case is scheduled in four weeks, during which all defendants are required to file their responses to Gadkari's petition.
Last week, Gadkari filed a lawsuit against Meta, X Corp, Google LLC, and several unidentified individuals regarding allegedly defamatory deepfake and AI-generated posts related to the ethanol policy. The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, through his lawyer Sandeep Ladda, requested the immediate removal of all fake and fabricated content and sought a permanent injunction against the dissemination of posts that harm his reputation. He also demanded compensation of ₹11 crores for the defamatory material.
The senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed that numerous fake, AI-generated, and defamatory posts regarding the ethanol-blended fuel issue are available online. The petition states that some unidentified individuals have circulated deepfake and other posts falsely claiming that Gadkari is personally responsible for the ethanol program and that he and his family have profited from it. According to the petition, this has caused irreparable damage to Gadkari's reputation and personal rights.
The petition asserts that the allegations made in the online posts are entirely "false, malicious, and undoubtedly defamatory," aimed at creating a misleading perception of Gadkari among the public. Gadkari clarified that the operation of the ethanol blending program and the E-20 policy is managed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, not by him personally.