Bombay High Court orders removal of deepfake videos targeting Nitin Gadkari over ethanol policy

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.

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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.