Delhi High Court Disposes IFF, SFLC Petitions After X Corp Confirms Takedown Notices Came From Impostor
X Corp, formerly known as Twitter, informed the Delhi High Court on Friday that the electronic takedown notices directed at the Internet Freedom Foundation and the Software Freedom Law Centre originated from an impostor rather than the Delhi Police. The platform clarified that no punitive measures or account removals were executed against the petitioners. The judicial proceedings before Justice Amit Mahajan centred around petitions filed by these digital rights organisations challenging the legitimacy of the digital removal directives that sought the deletion of their online profiles.
During the hearing before the bench, Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal, representing the Internet Freedom Foundation and the Software Freedom Law Centre, submitted that the contested communications purportedly emanated from the office of the Special Commissioner of Police. The senior counsel raised serious concerns regarding the authenticity of the directives, pointing out that initial inquiries directed to the law enforcement authorities yielded no confirmation of their validity. Furthermore, counsel noted that related legal notices received in connection with the matter lacked essential particulars such as the name and details of the issuing advocate.
Are Takedown Notices Sent To Digital Rights Groups Genuine?
The takedown notices received by the Internet Freedom Foundation and the Software Freedom Law Centre were verified by X Corp as fabricated by an impostor, prompting the platform to lodge a formal criminal complaint with law enforcement to identify the perpetrator while leaving the targeted accounts fully functional.
Responding to the contentions raised by the petitioners, the legal representative appearing for X Corp stated that an internal platform investigation established that the contested directives were fraudulent and not issued by the Delhi Police. The platform counsel emphasised that no enforcement action was taken on the basis of the fraudulent paperwork. Additionally, the court was informed that a formal criminal complaint regarding the impersonation of law enforcement officials was registered with the Delhi Police.
Entity Involved | Role in Proceedings | Submissions Made to Court |
|---|---|---|
X Corp | Platform Respondent | Confirmed internal investigation showed fraudulent notices; lodged police complaint; took no action. |
Internet Freedom Foundation & SFLC | Petitioners | Challenged the validity of takedown directions purportedly issued by the Special Commissioner of Police. |
Delhi High Court | Adjudicating Authority | Took note of X Corp statement and disposed of the writ petitions accordingly. |
Taking cognisance of the categorical submission made by the platform regarding the spurious nature of the communication, Justice Amit Mahajan proceeded to dispose of the petitions. The judicial intervention concluded after the platform assured the bench that the accounts belonging to the digital advocacy groups faced no threat of removal stemming from the fraudulent electronic directives.