Nagpur Cyber Police on Tuesday registered a first information report (FIR) against YouTuber Manish Kashyap and three other social media influencers. Police accused them of spreading misleading information about E20 ethanol-blended petrol, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and automaker Toyota.
Police registered the case after receiving a complaint from Shishir Tripathi, the city president of the BJP's Social Media Cell. The investigation is underway under Sections 352, 356 and 296 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.
Kashyap Claims E20 Petrol Damaged His Vehicle
According to the FIR, Kashyap uploaded videos claiming that his Toyota Innova Hycross developed breakdown-like problems after using E20 petrol. The model is officially approved to run on petrol containing up to 20% ethanol.
In one video, Kashyap showed fuel samples collected from different parts of the vehicle's fuel system. He claimed the samples contained unusually high ethanol levels and visible contamination.
In another video, he displayed the vehicle's fuel tank after removing it. He alleged that the fuel pump and filter assembly had also suffered damage. Kashyap also questioned whether Toyota would cover the inspection, cleaning and replacement costs under the vehicle's extended warranty if the issue was classified as fuel contamination.
Gadkari Defends E20 Petrol
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari strongly defended the government's E20 petrol programme on Tuesday. Speaking at the Viksit Bharat Conclave, he challenged critics to identify even one vehicle that had developed problems because of E20 fuel.
“There is no case of any car facing issues due to E20 petrol. Has there been any car in the country that faced issues due to the use of E20 petrol? Just name one," Gadkari said.
Gadkari Alleges False Campaign
Gadkari accused critics of spreading misinformation about ethanol-blended petrol. He claimed that “false narratives" were being circulated against E20 fuel. He also alleged that these were “paid campaigns".
The minister said the government would continue promoting ethanol-blended fuel despite such criticism.
Government Backs Ethanol Blending
Gadkari said India spends around Rs 22 lakh crore every year on fuel imports. He said reducing dependence on imported crude oil is essential for the country's economy.
He added that cleaner fuels such as ethanol can help lower fuel imports and reduce carbon emissions. India has already achieved 20% ethanol blending in petrol. The ethanol comes from biomass such as sugarcane, corn and rice. The government launched the programme to reduce crude oil imports and promote cleaner energy.