New Delhi: Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have registered two cases against Meta India Head Arun Srinivas and the operators of multiple Facebook and Instagram accounts over the alleged circulation of morphed and objectionable content targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) led protests over the alleged NEET paper leak.
The cases were registered following separate complaints filed by BJP supporters, who alleged that manipulated images, reels and AI generated videos portraying the Prime Minister in an obscene, derogatory and misleading manner were widely shared on Meta owned social media platforms.
In one complaint, businessman S. Aravind Reddy alleged that while browsing Instagram he came across several edited videos and morphed images featuring Prime Minister Modi. He claimed the content included manipulated visuals involving former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and an edited image featuring US President Donald Trump.
According to the complaint, the posts were capable of misleading the public, spreading misinformation, inciting hatred, disturbing public order and damaging the reputation of public figures.
A second complaint was filed by Telangana BJP activist and social media core committee member T. Saikiran Goud, who alleged that he found objectionable reels and edited images on Facebook and Instagram. He sought an investigation into the social media accounts allegedly publishing content that, according to the complaint, was prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity and public order of the country.
Based on the complaints, police registered cases under Sections 66C and 67 of the Information Technology Act, along with Sections 353(2) and 336(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which relate to identity theft, publishing obscene electronic material, statements conducive to public mischief and forged electronic records harming reputation.
Cyber Crime Police said notices have been issued to Meta regarding the flagged content and the registered cases. Investigators are also collecting information about the operators of the social media accounts involved to establish their identities and take further legal action in accordance with the investigation.
Sorry, there was a YouTube error.
