Hyderabad’s cybercrime police have registered two cases against Meta’s India head, Arun Srinivas, and the operators of several Facebook and Instagram accounts. The cases involve allegedly morphed and “objectionable” posts targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The complaints came from BJP supporters who said people circulated manipulated videos and images of the PM during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) agitation over the NEET-UG paper leak.
What the complaints allege
In the first complaint, 29-year-old businessman S Aravind Reddy said he saw multiple morphed and AI-generated videos and images of Modi on Instagram. He claimed the content included manipulated visuals of the Prime Minister with former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He also flagged an edited image of US President Donald Trump.
In the second complaint, T Saikiran Goud, a Telangana BJP activist and social media core committee member, said he found “objectionable” reels and morphed images on Facebook and Instagram on Wednesday. In his written submission, he asked for an investigation into accounts that he said were “derogatory” towards the Prime Minister. He added that the posts could harm “sovereignty, integrity and public order”.
Legal provisions invoked
Police booked the accused under:
- Sections 66-C (identity theft) and 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act
- Sections 353(2) (statements conducive to public mischief) and 336(4) (forged electronic record harming reputation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)
Cybercrime officials said they issued notices to Meta about the registered cases and the objectionable links flagged by the complainants. Investigators are also collecting details of the account operators to identify and arrest those responsible.
Context: CJP protests and online content
The complaints focus on content posted during the CJP-led protest against the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. The protest saw large student demonstrations and sharp political rhetoric. Police say the flagged posts included morphed images and videos that portrayed the Prime Minister in an “obscene, derogatory and misleading manner”.
The cases are part of a wider pattern of complaints over social media content related to the protests. Several political workers and activists have alleged that people used platforms to spread defamatory and manipulated material.
What happens next
Meta’s India head is now named in the FIRs. However, it is not yet clear whether he will appear for questioning or assist in identifying the account operators. The cybercrime unit is expected to:
- Seek detailed logs and metadata from Meta for the flagged accounts
- Trace the IP addresses and device details linked to the posts
- Identify and question the individuals who created and shared the content
The cases are still developing. Further updates are expected as police complete their technical analysis and identify the primary accused behind the alleged posts.
