Will Shut Down Facebook In India: Karnataka HC Warns Social Media Giant As It Fails To Cooperate In Case Of Indian Citizen's Arrest In Saudi Arabia

The Karnataka High Court has issued a warning to Facebook, stating that it may consider ordering the shutdown of the social media giant's activities in India.

This warning comes in response to Facebook's alleged non-cooperation with the state police in the investigation of the case of an imprisoned Indian citizen in Saudi Arabia, reports Times of India.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Kavitha, a resident of Bikarnakatte near Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district.

During the hearing of Kavitha's petition, a bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit issued the warning to Facebook.

Kavitha had submitted a plea stating that her husband Shailesh Kumar, who had worked with a company in Saudi Arabia for 25 years, was imprisoned there while she lived with their children in her native place.

She said that her husband had expressed his support for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Facebook in 2019.

However, someone created a fake Facebook account in his name and posted objectionable content about the King of Saudi Arabia and Islam.

Upon learning of the situation, Kumar had informed his family, and Kavitha lodged a police complaint in Mangaluru in this regard. Despite this, Saudi police arrested Kumar and imprisoned him.

The Mangaluru police launched an investigation and requested information from Facebook regarding the opening of the fake account.

However, Facebook did not respond to their request. In 2021, the petitioner approached the High Court questioning the delay in the investigation.

The High Court has ordered Facebook to provide the complete report with all required information within a week.

Further, the High Court said that the Central government should give information on what action has been initiated in the case of the arrest of an Indian citizen in a false case.

The Mangaluru police have also been instructed by the Court to conduct a proper investigation into the case and submit a report. The hearing in the case has been adjourned by the Court till 22 June.

Kavitha has also written a letter to the Central government requesting her husband's release from prison.