Hyderabad Cybercrime Police have registered cases against Meta India head Arun Srinivas and several Facebook and Instagram accounts over the alleged circulation of morphed and objectionable content targeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in Delhi.
The FIRs were filed based on complaints alleging that manipulated videos and images of the Prime Minister were shared on social media platforms.
According to the complaints, two individuals came across multiple digitally altered videos and images of the Prime Minister while browsing Instagram. They alleged that the content portrayed him in an obscene, derogatory, and misleading manner and was accompanied by abusive comments that increased its reach.
“The comments contain offensive language, ridicule, and indecent remarks directed at the Hon’ble Prime Minister and other individuals depicted in the manipulated content, thereby amplifying the offensive nature of the posts and encouraging their wider circulation and engagement. The above content appears to have been digitally altered or AI-generated and circulated on social media,” the complaints stated.
The complainants argued that the alleged posts could have wider implications beyond social media.
“Such content has the potential to mislead the public, spread misinformation, incite hatred or public unrest, outrage public decency, defame or insult the dignity of public figures, disturb public order, promote hostility among different sections of society, and otherwise violate the applicable provisions of law,” they added.
The complaints were filed by S. Aravind Reddy, a 29-year-old businessman, and T. Saikiran Goud, a Telangana BJP activist. Police are also examining several posts and comments shared during the student protests, many of which allegedly contained abusive remarks targeting the Prime Minister.
The latest action comes days after Meta drew criticism from the Indian Government when a video posted from the Prime Minister’s official Facebook account was briefly blocked.
According to sources, Meta has assured the government that it has strengthened safeguards for posts published from the Prime Minister’s account. Prominent accounts will now receive additional oversight, and only senior company officials will be authorized to review such posts. Sources added that every moderation decision will undergo scrutiny by at least two senior executives before any action is taken.
Sources said Meta representatives are expected to meet Indian government officials later this week to discuss content regulation and other policy-related issues.
Separately, Delhi Police have issued notices to several social media accounts, including some news portals, directing them to remove allegedly offensive and abusive posts targeting Prime Minister Modi that were shared during the recent student protests in Delhi.