Social media giant Meta on Saturday said it is cooperating with investigating agencies after the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police registered cases against the company’s India head and several Facebook and Instagram accounts over alleged circulation of morphed and objectionable content targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led NEET paper leak protest.
Issuing its first response after the FIR, the company said it is working with authorities as the investigation progresses.
“We are in touch with the concerned agencies and are cooperating with them to resolve the matter,” a Meta spokesperson said.
Complaint Filed Over Alleged Derogatory Social Media Posts
The police action follows a complaint submitted on July 29 by T. Saikiran Goud, a member of the BJP Telangana social media team, who alleged that he came across several Facebook and Instagram posts containing morphed visuals and objectionable material targeting the Prime Minister.
According to the complaint, the content allegedly carried misleading narratives that could disturb public order and harm national integrity. Goud also submitted links to multiple social media posts and urged police to investigate those responsible for creating and circulating the material.
He further sought action against Meta, alleging that such content remained available on its platforms.
Cases Registered Under IT Act and BNS
Acting on the complaints, the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police registered cases under provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to identity theft, publication of obscene electronic content, statements allegedly capable of creating public disorder and forged electronic records affecting reputation.
The investigation into the identified social media accounts and the role of those involved is currently underway.
BJP Seeks Strict Legal Action
Reacting to the controversy, Telangana BJP Chief Spokesperson N. V. Subhash demanded stringent legal action against those allegedly responsible for creating and sharing the morphed content.
He said “freedom of speech can never become a licence for organised abuse and character assassination,” while urging authorities to ensure accountability for those behind the posts.
Meta Highlights Changes to Grievance Policy
The latest development comes days after Meta informed the Uttarakhand High Court that it had strengthened its grievance redressal mechanism to ensure quicker action on user complaints.
During the hearing of a public interest litigation concerning fake social media accounts, objectionable online content and cyber abuse, the company’s counsel informed the court that Meta had revised its internal complaint-handling policy and was now taking prompt action on reports submitted by users.
The police investigation into the alleged circulation of morphed content continues.
