The Allahabad High Court has directed the Ghaziabad Police Commissioner to appear in person on August 12 to explain why social media platform X has allegedly failed to cooperate with a local cybercrime investigation.
A division bench comprising Justice Ajay Bhanot and Justice Divesh Chandra Samant ruled that social media companies are fully subject to Indian laws and the authority of domestic investigative agencies. The bench expressed concern that non-cooperation by senior officials at X has paralyzed the police inquiry, warning that such resistance allows offenders to escape justice.
Deadlock In Cybercrime Investigation
The court’s intervention follows a status report from a police investigation officer, who stated that the probe had reached a standstill because X declined to provide the IP address and URL identifier of the account under investigation. Consequently, the officer requested additional time from the court to complete the inquiry.
Characterizing the situation as an apparent failure of law enforcement, the High Court ordered the Ghaziabad police chief to outline the measures being taken to enforce compliance and ensure the social media platform’s representatives are held accountable. The bench emphasized that Indian law possesses the reach and authority to address any legal violation and ensure that perpetrators face justice.
Background Of The Case
The legal proceedings stem from a petition filed by Mithilesh Kumar, who approached the High Court seeking a prompt and impartial probe. Kumar had previously registered a First Information Report (FIR) under the Information Technology Act at the Indrapuram police station in Ghaziabad, alleging that compromised videos and photographs of him were published on the platform.
Directives To State Leadership
In the ruling issued on July 2, the High Court also ordered that copies of its directive be forwarded to the Uttar Pradesh Home Secretary and the Director General of Police in Lucknow to ensure compliance with the court’s instructions.
