Goa, July 27 -- Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has secured permission from the Bombay High Court to file a civil suit against Meta, other social media platforms and unidentified entities over allegedly defamatory posts and deepfake content linking him and his family to financial gains from the Centre's E20 ethanol blending programme.

The matter came before Justice Abhay Ahuja, who granted Gadkari leave under Clause XII of the Letters Patent. The procedural provision allows the Bombay High Court to hear cases on its original civil side when part of the cause of action arises within its territorial jurisdiction, even if other aspects extend beyond it.

Representing Gadkari, advocate Sandeep S. Ladda argued that the disputed content was acces...