Hyderabad Cybercrime Police Book Meta India Head Arun Srinivas Over Alleged PM Modi Posts

Hyderabad cybercrime police have registered cases against Meta India head Arun Srinivas and operators of several Facebook and Instagram accounts over allegedly morphed and objectionable posts targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led agitation over alleged NEET examination irregularities.

The cases were registered after complaints from S Aravind Reddy, a businessman and BJP supporter, and T Saikiran Goud, a member of the Telangana BJP’s social media core committee. Police are now investigating the accounts identified in the complaints and trying to establish who created and circulated the disputed material.

What triggered the Hyderabad cybercrime cases?

According to the complaints, the two individuals came across several posts on Instagram and other social media accounts that allegedly showed digitally altered images and videos involving Prime Minister Modi.

The complainants alleged that some of the material was obscene, derogatory and misleading. They also raised concerns about content that they claimed could mislead viewers, affect public order and contribute to hostility or unrest.

Goud reportedly submitted around 20 Facebook and Instagram links to the police and sought an investigation into the accounts responsible for circulating the material, as well as action concerning Meta’s role in hosting the content.

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Reddy, in a separate complaint, alleged that some Instagram accounts had shared manipulated videos and images involving Modi, US President Donald Trump and former Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The allegations remain part of the police investigation. The registration of an FIR does not by itself establish that the accused individuals or the platform committed the alleged offences.

Meta India head named as co-accused

The police have named operators of identified social media accounts along with Meta India’s head in the cases. Officials have also issued a notice to Meta regarding the complaints and the links flagged by the complainants.

The inclusion of a senior platform executive adds another dimension to the case because the investigation is not limited to the people who allegedly created or uploaded the content. Police are also examining the circumstances surrounding the hosting and circulation of the disputed posts on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta’s role and any potential liability will ultimately depend on the facts established during the investigation and the applicable provisions of law.

Police tracing social media account operators

Hyderabad cybercrime investigators are attempting to identify the people operating the accounts mentioned in the complaints.

Officials said the links submitted by the complainants had become inactive by Thursday evening. That, however, has not brought the investigation to an end. Police are continuing efforts to trace the account operators and examine the material that was reported.

The cases invoke relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act, according to the reports.

No arrests had been reported at the time of the latest reports.

Connection with the CJP-led student agitation

The disputed posts surfaced in the broader political and social-media environment surrounding protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party over alleged irregularities connected with competitive examinations and the NEET controversy.

The CJP movement has held demonstrations in different parts of India, including Hyderabad, where protesters have raised demands concerning examination transparency and accountability. A June protest at Dharna Chowk, for example, called for the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged NEET paper leak issues and CBSE on-screen marking irregularities.

More recent student demonstrations have also taken place in Hyderabad, with protesters demanding reforms in the examination and recruitment system and raising concerns about police action during protests in Delhi.

It was against this politically charged backdrop that the disputed social media material was allegedly circulated.

Why the case matters for social media platforms

The Hyderabad cases highlight a growing challenge for platforms such as Facebook and Instagram: distinguishing political criticism, satire and legitimate expression from manipulated content that may allegedly cross legal boundaries.

The issue becomes more complicated when artificial intelligence or sophisticated editing tools are used to create realistic-looking images and videos. A manipulated clip can travel rapidly before viewers have an opportunity to determine whether it is genuine.

For law-enforcement agencies, identifying the original uploader can also be difficult when posts are repeatedly copied, reshared or deleted.

Investigation will determine responsibility

At this stage, the central questions are who created the disputed material, who uploaded it, how widely it was circulated and whether the content violated provisions of Indian law.

Police are also examining the role of the social media accounts and Meta in relation to the reported content. The company’s legal responsibility, if any, will depend on the evidence gathered and the interpretation of the applicable law.

For now, the Hyderabad cybercrime investigation remains ongoing. The next significant developments are likely to come from the identification of the account operators, examination of the digital evidence and any further action taken by investigators.