Fake Notice Purporting to be from Delhi Police Surfaces: Court Uncovers Details Regarding IFF-SFLC Account Removal

On Friday, the social media platform X revealed shocking information to the Delhi High Court. The platform informed the court that legal notices requesting the removal of accounts belonging to the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) and the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) did not originate from the Delhi Police. In fact, these notices were sent by an imposter posing as a police officer. Following this revelation, the Delhi High Court resolved the petitions related to the case.

During the court proceedings, X's attorney informed the bench that the company had conducted an internal investigation into the matter. This investigation determined that the notices were indeed fraudulent. Consequently, a complaint was filed with the Delhi Police to identify the impersonator. The company emphasized that no action had been taken against the accounts or posts of either organization.

Background of the Case

The case reached the Delhi High Court following petitions filed by the Internet Freedom Foundation and the Software Freedom Law Center. These organizations challenged the takedown notices that demanded the removal of their social media accounts. Justice Amit Mahajan presided over the hearings. Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal represented both organizations, raising concerns over the authenticity of the notices.

What did the Notices Contain? Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal, representing the petitioners, informed the court that the notices were allegedly issued under the name of the 'Special Commissioner of Police,' casting significant doubts on their legitimacy from the outset. He requested confirmation of the notices' authenticity but received no response. During the hearings, Sibal stated that they had written to the relevant authority for verification, but no confirmation was forthcoming. He added that if the notices were genuine, it would be very alarming. He also referenced a purported legal notice linked to the RSS, noting the lack of any attorney's details in that notice.

Fraud Exposed by X's Internal Investigation

During the hearings, X's attorney revealed that following the receipt of the notices, the company undertook an internal investigation. This investigation revealed that the notices had been sent by an impersonator masquerading as the Delhi Police. The attorney clarified that no action was taken against IFF or SFLC based on these notices. "We have not taken any action on them. The notices were not sent by the Delhi Police. We reported the impersonator to the Delhi Police last night," he stated, thereby affirming that no legitimate directive had been issued by the Delhi Police to remove the accounts of either organization.

Court Adjudicates the Petitions

In light of the information provided by X and the company's position, the Delhi High Court dismissed the petitions filed by both organizations. The company assured the court that no action was taken against the accounts or posts of IFF and SFLC.