Hyderabad | July 31, 2026
In a major legal development surrounding platform accountability, the Hyderabad Cybercrime Police have booked Arun Srinivas, the India Head of Meta, alongside several user handles across Facebook and Instagram, for the alleged proliferation of morphed and derogatory videos targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The action stems from complaints filed by S Aravind Reddy and BJP activist T Saikiran Goud following the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demonstrations. The complainants cited widespread circulation of AI-altered and digitally manipulated media accompanied by abusive commentary, alleging that the content violated public decency, incited hostility, and spread misinformation.
The FIRs coincide with heightened scrutiny from central authorities after a video from the Prime Minister’s official account was briefly restricted on Facebook earlier this week. To prevent recurring moderation errors, Meta has informed the Union Government that high-profile public accounts will now undergo rigorous dual-review protocols conducted exclusively by senior executives.
Simultaneously, Delhi Police has served takedown notices to multiple digital portals and social media handles regarding objectionable content linked to the recent student protests at Jantar Mantar and the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march.
Case Summary & Legal Framework
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Jurisdiction: Cybercrime Police Station, Hyderabad
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Key Accused: Arun Srinivas (Head, Meta India) & Select Social Media Handles
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Nature of Offence: Circulation of AI-generated/morphed media, defamation, and inciting public unrest
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Complainants: S Aravind Reddy & T Saikiran Goud
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Compliance Measures: Meta introduces mandatory dual-executive approval for top-tier account moderation
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Parallel Actions: Delhi Police issues notices to digital platforms for protest-related content removal
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Sector: Cyber Law, Corporate Governance & Digital Media Oversight
