Bombay High Court orders removal of deepfake videos targeting Nitin Gadkari over ethanol policy
The Bombay High Court has ordered social media platforms to remove deepfake videos that falsely linked Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to corruption regarding the Ethanol Blending Programme. The court expressed concern over the lack of a streamlined mechanism for removing abusive content without judicial intervention.
Why it matters
The ruling highlights the growing legal challenges surrounding AI-generated misinformation and the accountability of social media platforms in India.
The Bombay High Court directed social media platforms on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) to take down deepfake and AI-generated videos that linked Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to the Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP). The court found the content to be defamatory.
Justice Arif Doctor, presiding over a Single Bench, ordered the removal of all content highlighted by Mr. Gadkari in his lawsuit. The court also issued a directive to remove any similar content in the future if brought to its attention by the Minister.
Editorial | Insular incentive: On ethanol-blended fuel and the Indian consumer
The order came in response to a suit filed by Gadkari, who asserted that he had no role in the EBP decision-making process. He stated that the policy is managed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in