India's road transport minister Nitin Gadkari received permission on Monday to sue three of the world's largest platforms over AI-generated videos depicting him as corrupt.
What the court actually did
Justice Abhay Ahuja of the Bombay High Court granted leave under Clause XII of the Letters Patent — the provision governing whether the court has jurisdiction — allowing the suit to be filed there on the basis that the content is accessible in Mumbai. Case number LPETN(L)/25170/2026, Nitin Gadkari v. Meta Platforms. The substance goes before Justice Arif Doctor.
Who is being sued, and for what
The defendants are Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Google and YouTube, X Corp, India's Ministry of Electronics and IT, the Department of Telecommunications, and unnamed John Doe creators. The claim covers at least 24 posts and deepfake videos falsely showing Gadkari and his family profiting from the E20 ethanol-blending programme, seeking removal and ₹11 crore — about $1.3 million — in damages.
Leave to file is not a ruling
This is the distinction most coverage collapses. The court decided it may hear the case. It has not found the posts defamatory, has not ordered anything taken down, and has said nothing about platform liability. Headlines announcing that a minister has won against Big Tech describe a hearing that has not happened.
Not the government suing
Two ministries appear as defendants, not plaintiffs — they are formal parties because takedown machinery runs through them. This is a personal civil suit, and the plaint states explicitly that it does not target legitimate criticism of E20, only fabricated claims of profiteering.
The factual hook
The policy at the centre of the videos is administered by the petroleum ministry. Gadkari runs road transport. The deepfakes attribute to him a portfolio he does not hold.