MUMBAI, Aug. 6 -- The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed Meta Platforms, X Corp, Google LLC and other social media platforms to take down allegedly defamatory posts and AI-generated deepfake videos linking Union minister Nitin Gadkari and his family members to India's ethanol-blended petrol (EBP) programme. Noting that the content against Gadkari is "vile and abusive", a single-judge bench of justice Arif Doctor said, "Such material should have no place on a public platform, which is accessible to everyone, including [the] young." The court also suggested that Google and Meta develop a framework to take down such abusive content on social media platforms without having to approach the court each time. It asked Gadkari to approach the platforms if similar content is uploaded in the future. "If any further abusive material or deepfake photographs are found, the same shall be communicated to the defendant. In the event there is a grey area, they will have the liberty to move court," the bench said, while posting the matter for further hearing after four weeks. Gadkari, the Union minister for road transport and highways, had filed a defamation suit against the social media platforms for publishing posts alleging he was responsible for implementing the controversial EBP programme. The suit listed at least 26 social media posts and videos that blamed Gadkari for the policy and for vehicle damage allegedly caused by ethanol-blended petrol. The minister also claimed there were posts "falsely" suggesting that he and his family received undue financial benefits from the programme, "insinuating corruption, nepotism, conflict of interest, abuse of official position, misuse of governmental authority and other acts of impropriety." Gadkari's petition, filed through advocate Sandeep S Ladda, stated that the EBP programme was administered by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and not by him personally. It argued that content blaming him for the policy was ex facie false, fabricated, baseless, malicious, misleading, unsubstantiated and devoid of any factual foundation. The listed posts also contained "abusive and derogatory language, scandalous remarks, false accusations and manipulated audio-visual material intended to falsely attribute statements and conduct" to Gadkari, the petition added, while seeking Rs.11 crore in damages from the platforms. The case comes amid a growing backlash on social media over the central government's EBP programme. Introduced in 2014 to reduce crude oil imports, the programme was accelerated from 2021, with ethanol produced from sugarcane, rice and maize being blended with petrol. India achieved its target of 20% ethanol blending (E20) five years ahead of its original 2030 deadline. Motorists have complained that E20 fuel is reducing mileage and causing engine corrosion in older, non-compliant vehicles. Gadkari and the central government have rejected such claims, dismissing them as social media misinformation. Gadkari approached the high court after the BJP's Nagpur social media cell convener, Shishir Arun Tripathi, lodged a police complaint last month over videos and posts circulating "baseless and objectionable claims" about the Union minister and E20 fuel that could "mislead the public, confuse citizens and disturb peace"....