By Islam El-Sakka
Elon Musk's social media platform X told the Delhi High Court on Friday that takedown orders targeting two prominent Indian free-speech organizations were fabricated by someone impersonating a senior Delhi police officer.
Fake orders submitted via reporting form
The orders, submitted through X's online reporting form, demanded the removal of accounts belonging to the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) and the Software Freedom Law Centre, India (SFLC.in). They claimed the groups had defamed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu nationalist organization linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party.
X investigates and files complaint
A lawyer for X said an internal investigation revealed the notices were sent by an impostor. The company has filed a complaint with the Delhi Police to identify the perpetrator. Delhi police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Free-speech activists have long argued that India's strict content removal regulations are used to suppress dissent in the world's most populous nation. India, with more than 1.1 billion internet subscribers, maintains the directives target unlawful or misleading content while respecting lawful expression. The fake orders invoked rules requiring platforms to act within three hours, and X forwarded them to the affected users before verifying their authenticity.
The IFF petitioned the court to quash the orders, sparking widespread outcry on social media. Amnesty International and India's main opposition party contested the legality of the notices. The groups also reported receiving legal notices, purportedly on behalf of the RSS, demanding they cease criticizing and documenting government blocking orders.
