Case against content creators for ‘defaming’ Nitin Gadkari amid E20 row

THe Nagpur Cyber constabulary feature filed a caseful against several societal media calculate holders or content creators for spreading allegedly misleading information targeting Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari regarding ethanol-blended petrol.The complaint targets a YouTube video uploaded on July 3, 2026, by creator Manish Kasyap, as well as posts from other accounts including 'Desi Boys', 'Harshit Rathi', and 'Anklesh Inwati', news agency ANI reported.Hours after the FIR, YouTuber Manish Kasyap said he would continue to stand by his remarks and accused the government of trying to silence criticism.The police action came after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal asked people facing issues with E20 petrol to make videos and share their concerns on social media. He also raised concerns about the impact of E20 fuel on older vehicles, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Content creators named in the FIRThe complaint was filed by BJP Nagpur City Social Media Cell Convener Shishir Arun Tripathi. The videos and posts circulated baseless and objectionable claims about Gadkari and E20 fuel that could mislead the public, confuse citizens and disturb peace, the complaint said.In response to the digital evidence submitted, the police filed the case under Sections 356, 352, and 296 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, alongside Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, as per ANI.Manish Kasyap respondsReacting to the FIR in a video posted on YouTube, Kashyap denied that his video contained false information and defended his criticism of the government's ethanol-blending programme. “Respected Shri Nitin Gadkari ji, I have heard that an FIR has been filed against me…The allegation against me is that the video I made about pure petrol and ethanol-mixed petrol was false,” he said.“I faced this problem, and people across the country are also facing it.”Questioning the government's ethanol policy, Kashyap said, “About 2,000 crore litres of ethanol are being produced, while the petroleum industry's consumption is only around 1,100 to 1,200 crore litres. There is surplus production. To benefit a few people because of this surplus, is it right to push E20, E25, E30 and make so many others suffer?”He also alleged that vehicles were being affected by ethanol-blended petrol and questioned the police action against those raising concerns. The FIR comes amid a debate over the government’s ethanol blending programme and the use of E20 petrol, which contains 20% ethanol blended with petrol.Kejriwal writes to PM over E20 fuel concernsKejriwal wrote to PM Modi, requesting the Centre to reconsider the use of E20 petrol in vehicles that were not manufactured to run on ethanol-blended fuel.In his letter, Kejriwal claimed that the use of E20 fuel in older vehicles resulted in lower mileage, faster engine wear and higher expenses for vehicle owners whose cars and two-wheelers were manufactured before 2023.He demanded that petrol pumps provide consumers with a choice between pure petrol and E20-blended fuel. He also requested a price reduction for the blended fuel to balance out its lower energy content and subsequent drop in mileage.Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Kejriwal said, "I have appealed to Prime Minister Modi to reduce the price of E20 fuel; since E20 yields lower mileage, its price should also be lower... I have also sought an appointment to meet him."The AAP leader also asked people facing difficulties due to E20 petrol to highlight their concerns on digital platforms. "I want to tell everyone troubled by these issues to make videos and post them on social media, because this government will not listen to us so easily," he added.Vlogger Sourav Joshi's E20 rowLast week, vlogger Sourav Joshi uploaded a video on YouTube claiming that the mileage of his Mercedes-Benz SUV dropped from around 17 km per litre to 5 km per litre within two days.He blamed the sharp decline to E20 petrol, saying the vehicle's estimated driving range had fallen from about 800 km to 480 km on a full tank and said that the fuel could damage the engine. The video was viral in no time.Soon after, Mercedes-Benz India issued a customer advisory, without naming Joshi. “At Mercedes-Benz, customer safety, vehicle reliability and performance are of paramount importance to us. All Mercedes-Benz petrol BS VI vehicles are materially compatible with E20 fuel and certified accordingly by relevant authorities,” said the German automaker.Following the advisory, Joshi took his SUV to a Mercedes service centre, where technicians found that the low mileage was caused by an engine issue rather than E20 petrol.On Monday, he apologised for the misunderstanding, saying, “We visited the Mercedes service centre, and they found that there was an issue with the engine, which was causing the low mileage. I apologise for the misunderstanding regarding E20 petrol.”