Nitin Gadkari gets Bombay HC nod to sue Meta, X
What's the story
The Bombay High Court has permitted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to file a civil suit against Meta Platforms and X. The lawsuit is related to the distribution of allegedly defamatory deepfake content about him. Justice Abhay Ahuja granted Gadkari's plea under Clause XII of the Letters Patent, allowing the HC to entertain such suits when part of the cause of action arises outside its territorial jurisdiction.
Jurisdiction details
Content accessible in Mumbai, argues Gadkari
Advocate Sandeep S. Ladda, representing Gadkari, argued that the disputed content was accessible to users in Mumbai. This gave rise to a major part of the cause of action within the court's jurisdiction.
He also said its wider online availability made leave under Clause XII necessary.
The court accepted these submissions and permitted Gadkari to institute the suit against Meta, X, Google, among others.
Defamation claims
Deepfake content personally implicates Gadkari
The complaint alleges that unidentified individuals posted social media posts and AI-generated deepfake content, falsely depicting Gadkari as personally responsible for the government's ethanol blending program and E20 fuel policy.
It also claimed that he and his family had financially benefited from it.
The minister has sought permanent injunctions directing the removal of this allegedly defamatory content hosted on various platforms.
Clarification
Suit does not seek to restrict fair criticism
The suit clarifies that it is not aimed at restricting fair criticism or bona fide public debate. Instead, it targets what it describes as false, malicious, and defamatory content.
The case comes amid growing legal scrutiny of AI-generated deepfakes and impersonation on social media, with courts increasingly being asked to balance free speech, intermediary liability, and personality rights.