Meta is facing fresh legal scrutiny in India after Hyderabad Police registered a case against Meta India Managing Director Arun Srinivas over videos shared on Facebook that allegedly depicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an abusive manner. The development comes at a time when the Indian government has tightened its rules around online content moderation, placing greater responsibility on digital platforms and, in some cases, their senior executives.
According to police officials, the case is linked to multiple videos circulated on Facebook during a period of heightened political tensions. Authorities are now preparing to formally contact Meta as part of the ongoing investigation.
Hyderabad Police register case against Meta India chief
According to Reuters, Hyderabad Police have registered a case against Arun Srinivas after complaints alleged that several videos posted on Facebook portrayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an abusive manner.
Deputy Commissioner of Police for Cyber Crimes V. Aravind Babu told Reuters that police are preparing to issue a notice to Meta regarding the matter. At the time of publication, Meta had not publicly responded to Reuters’ request for comment.
The report notes that it remains unclear why Srinivas was named personally in the case. Legal experts told Reuters that holding a senior executive individually responsible generally requires evidence showing both knowledge of the content and an active role in the alleged violation.
India’s content rules have become stricter
The case comes months after India introduced tougher online content regulations that significantly reduced the time available for technology companies to act on government or court directives.
Under the revised rules, online platforms must remove content deemed unlawful within three hours after receiving directions from the government or a court. Previously, platforms had up to 36 hours to comply. Failure to meet the deadline could result in companies losing certain legal protections that typically shield intermediaries from liability for user-generated content.
Technology lawyer Akash Karmakar, a partner at Indian law firm Panag & Babu, told Reuters that personal liability for company executives would generally require proof of “an active role and knowledge.”
The regulatory changes reflect the government’s broader effort to strengthen oversight of social media platforms as concerns over misinformation, manipulated media and online abuse continue to grow.
Meta’s latest challenge in India
The latest case adds to a series of recent disputes between Meta and the Indian government over content moderation. Earlier this week, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology reportedly summoned Meta executives after a Facebook post by Prime Minister Modi was temporarily restricted.
Meta later said the restriction was inadvertent and restored the post, explaining that the issue resulted from an error rather than an intentional moderation decision.
According to Reuters, the current police case also follows complaints filed by supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who alleged that manipulated videos and images of the Prime Minister were being circulated across Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
India remains Facebook’s largest market by users, making the country one of Meta’s most strategically important regions. At the same time, it has become one of the company’s most closely watched regulatory environments as authorities continue tightening rules around digital platforms and online content.
The investigation is still in its early stages, and authorities have not announced whether any further legal action will follow. As India’s regulatory framework evolves, the case is likely to be closely watched by technology companies operating in the country, particularly as questions around platform responsibility and executive accountability continue to develop.
