Digital Rights Groups Challenge Purported Delhi Police Takedown Notices

The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) and Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC.in) have filed a petition with the Delhi High Court challenging the validity of takedown notices issued in the name of the Delhi Police. The groups allege that these notices, which target multiple accounts and posts for removal on the social media platform X, may be fraudulent.

The dispute centers on demands to withhold content on grounds of criminal defamation. IFF argues that under established Indian law, defamation is a non-cognizable offense that requires a court order for police intervention. The notices submitted to X, however, reportedly lacked valid court documentation and were sent from email addresses that did not exist at the time of transmission.

SFLC.in further noted that the official named in the notices, the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime), lacks the legal authority to issue such directives under current administrative orders. The incident has raised significant questions regarding the verification protocols employed by social media intermediaries when processing law enforcement requests.

The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on November 6. The petitioners are seeking a formal declaration from the Delhi Police regarding the authenticity of these requests and a halt to further enforcement actions based on the disputed documents.