Karnataka High Court Warns Facebook: Cooperate or Face India Shutdown

The Karnataka High Court has issued a stern warning to Facebook, stating that it will shut down the social media platform's operations in India if it fails to cooperate with the police investigation regarding a fake profile.

The case revolves around Shailesh Kumar, an Indian national currently incarcerated in Saudi Arabia for an alleged derogatory post on Facebook. It has been claimed that miscreants created a fake Facebook account in Kumar's name and used it to make the offensive post, leading to his imprisonment.

Kavitha, Kumar's wife, lodged a complaint with the local police, asserting that the post originated from a counterfeit profile impersonating her husband. She explained that Kumar had posted a message in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in 2019.

However, unidentified individuals took advantage of this situation by opening a fake Facebook account in his name and publishing objectionable content targeting the Saudi king and Islam. As soon as Kumar became aware of the situation, he informed his family, and Kavitha promptly reported the matter to the police in Mangaluru.

Unfortunately, the Saudi Arabian authorities apprehended Shailesh Kumar and placed him behind bars. In response to Kavitha's plea, the Karnataka High Court warned Facebook that it may issue an order to suspend the company's operations in India if it does not cooperate with the ongoing investigation. The court sought information from Facebook regarding the creation of the fake account and directed the social media giant to submit a comprehensive report within one week.

Furthermore, the court urged the Central government to provide details regarding the measures taken in response to the false arrest of an Indian citizen. It also instructed the Mangaluru police to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and submit a report to the court. The next hearing for this case has been scheduled for June 22.

In her efforts to secure her husband's release, Kavitha has also written a letter to the Central government seeking its intervention in the matter. The plight of Shailesh Kumar serves as a reminder of the potential dangers associated with the misuse of social media platforms and the urgent need for cooperation between law enforcement agencies and technology companies to address such issues effectively.

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