X Says Fake Police Orders Sought Removal of Indian Free-Speech Groups’ Accounts
Social media platform X told the Delhi High Court that police orders demanding the removal of accounts belonging to two prominent Indian free-speech organisations were fake. The company said the requests were submitted by an individual impersonating a senior Delhi Police officer. The targeted organisations were the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) and the Software Freedom Law Centre, India (SFLC.in).
The fraudulent notices reportedly accused the organisations of defaming the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organisation linked to the political origins of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. X’s lawyer informed the court that an internal investigation had confirmed the impersonation. The platform had initially forwarded the notices to the affected organisations before verifying their authenticity.
The incident has sparked renewed debate over India’s online content removal regulations and freedom of expression. The organisations had challenged the takedown orders, which invoked rules requiring social media platforms to act within three hours. Amnesty International and India’s main opposition party also questioned the legality of the requests. The case has intensified concerns among free-speech advocates about the potential misuse of content removal procedures to silence criticism.
Pic courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright
