Saurabh Mukherjee
Police in Hyderabad have registered a criminal case against Meta India head Arun Srinivas over videos circulated on Facebook that allegedly portrayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an "abusive manner", marking a rare instance in which the head of a global technology company has been named personally in a criminal complaint.
According to a senior police officer, the case relates to multiple videos uploaded on Meta's Facebook platform at a time when the prime minister was facing widespread online criticism amid nationwide student-led protests over alleged leaks in national entrance examinations, a movement that culminated in the resignation of the Union education minister, Reuters reported.
Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police are preparing to issue a notice to Meta Platforms regarding the case, Deputy Commissioner of Police V. Aravind Babu said.
“We are in touch with the concerned agencies and are cooperating with them to resolve the matter," a spokesperson for Meta said.
It remains unclear why Srinivas himself has been named in the FIR. Legal experts note that fixing criminal liability on a senior company executive generally requires evidence that the individual had direct knowledge of, or played an active role in, the alleged offence.
India's legal framework governing online content has undergone significant changes this year, reducing the protection previously available to digital platforms for user-generated content. Under the revised rules, social media companies are required to remove content declared unlawful by courts or the government within three hours, instead of the earlier 36-hour window, or risk losing legal immunity.
Holding someone personally responsible normally requires proof of "an active role and knowledge," said Akash Karmakar, a technology law partner at Indian law firm Panag & Babu.
Meta has frequently faced scrutiny from the Indian government over content hosted on Facebook and Instagram, while also drawing criticism from civil society groups over its handling of hate speech and misinformation on its platforms.
The latest case comes amid renewed friction between the company and the Union government over content relating to Prime Minister Modi.
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology summoned Meta executives after Facebook briefly restricted a post by the prime minister, prompting the government to seek an explanation from the company.
A Meta spokesperson had said at the time that the post, which was Modi's first addressing the ongoing student protests, had been restricted inadvertently.
India remains Facebook's largest market by user base, and Srinivas has served as Meta's Managing Director and Head for India since July 2025.
According to local media reports, the Hyderabad case is one of several complaints lodged by supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party alleging that manipulated videos and images of the prime minister were being circulated on Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
According to a senior police officer, the case relates to multiple videos uploaded on Meta's Facebook platform at a time when the prime minister was facing widespread online criticism amid nationwide student-led protests over alleged leaks in national entrance examinations, a movement that culminated in the resignation of the Union education minister, Reuters reported.
Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police are preparing to issue a notice to Meta Platforms regarding the case, Deputy Commissioner of Police V. Aravind Babu said.
“We are in touch with the concerned agencies and are cooperating with them to resolve the matter," a spokesperson for Meta said.
It remains unclear why Srinivas himself has been named in the FIR. Legal experts note that fixing criminal liability on a senior company executive generally requires evidence that the individual had direct knowledge of, or played an active role in, the alleged offence.
India's legal framework governing online content has undergone significant changes this year, reducing the protection previously available to digital platforms for user-generated content. Under the revised rules, social media companies are required to remove content declared unlawful by courts or the government within three hours, instead of the earlier 36-hour window, or risk losing legal immunity.
Holding someone personally responsible normally requires proof of "an active role and knowledge," said Akash Karmakar, a technology law partner at Indian law firm Panag & Babu.
Meta has frequently faced scrutiny from the Indian government over content hosted on Facebook and Instagram, while also drawing criticism from civil society groups over its handling of hate speech and misinformation on its platforms.
The latest case comes amid renewed friction between the company and the Union government over content relating to Prime Minister Modi.
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology summoned Meta executives after Facebook briefly restricted a post by the prime minister, prompting the government to seek an explanation from the company.
A Meta spokesperson had said at the time that the post, which was Modi's first addressing the ongoing student protests, had been restricted inadvertently.
India remains Facebook's largest market by user base, and Srinivas has served as Meta's Managing Director and Head for India since July 2025.
According to local media reports, the Hyderabad case is one of several complaints lodged by supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party alleging that manipulated videos and images of the prime minister were being circulated on Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
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