Notice to cops on Facebook, Google plea

The Delhi high court on Wednesday issued notice to the city police on petitions filed by Facebook India and Google India challenging the trial court order, which had summoned them and other websites to face a criminal case for allegedly allowing objectionable content.

The Delhi high court on Wednesday issued notice to the city police on petitions filed by Facebook India and Google India challenging the trial court order, which had summoned them and other websites to face a criminal case for allegedly allowing objectionable content.

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The trial court had on December 23 summoned representatives of 21 social networking sites including Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and Youtube taking cognisance of a private criminal complaint.

The metropolitan magistrate had also directed the Centre to take steps and also file a report in the court by January 13.

The magistrate had said, “It appears from a bare perusal of documents that prima facie the accused in connivance with each other and other unknown persons are selling, publicly exhibiting and have put into circulation obscene content.”

The magistrate noted that in the material — submitted by the complainant — contained derogatory articles pertaining to Prophet Mohammad, Jesus Christ and various Hindu gods.