Mumbai, August 5: Online platforms Meta, Google LLC, and X Corp have been directed by the Bombay High Court to immediately take down online posts targeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari over the national ethanol-blended petrol policy. Justice Doctor characterized the flagged material as vile, abusive, and derogatory during the dictation of the order. Addressing the lack of proactive monitoring, the bench questioned representatives of the tech companies on why automated mechanisms were not already active to remove such content, asserting that advanced trigger systems should automatically detect and delete venomous material without forcing individuals to seek judicial intervention.
Read more: Gadkari Files Bombay High Court Suit Over E20 Social Media Allegations
Under the fresh directive, if similar content, including artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes or manipulated media, is uploaded moving forward, the minister may approach the platforms directly for swift removal. The legal action stems from a civil suit filed through advocate Sandeep S Ladda, which detailed how fabricated audio-visual content, tweets, reels, and videos were deliberately circulated using the minister’s name and image without consent. The petition maintained that these unfounded posts falsely accused Gadkari of personally orchestrating the E20 ethanol-blended petrol programme for personal financial gain, causing irreparable harm to his public image. The minister has consistently refuted claims surrounding the nationwide E20 rollout, maintaining that the ethanol policy rests on extensive testing and broad consultation. The court adjourned the matter for four weeks to allow respondent companies time to file their reply affidavits.
