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X Says Takedown Notices Targeting Indian Free-Speech Groups Were Fake
Digital rights groups say the notices were fabricated, as an investigation found a sender email created hours earlier and police takedown requests that X later disclosed.
Social media platform X told an Indian court on Friday that takedown notices targeting prominent free-speech groups were fake.
Digital rights groups including the Internet Freedom Foundation and Software Freedom Law Centre received notices on October 30 purportedly from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh , sparking an online storm.
X disclosed receiving an "illegal content report" from Delhi Police, allegedly sent by Special Commissioner Hargobiner Singh Dhaliwal, citing Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita ; a police official told Scroll the communication was fabricated.
The IFF and SFLC appeared before the Delhi High Court on Thursday to formally challenge the takedown notices after repeatedly questioning the authenticity with Delhi Police.
A Scroll investigation revealed the emails originated from an address likely created October 29, suggesting an elaborate hoax that misled the rights groups, the RSS, and Delhi Police.