Meta India head named in case over Facebook videos targeting Modi

Police in Hyderabad have registered a case against Meta India's head over videos on Facebook depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an "abusive manner".

Police in the ‌southern ​Indian city of Hyderabad have registered a case against the head of Meta India over multiple ‌videos posted on the company's Facebook platform that depicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an "abusive manner," a senior police officer said on Friday. Police are ‌preparing to send a notice to Meta Platforms regarding the case, which ‌had not been issued as of Friday, said V Aravind Babu, deputy commissioner of police for cyber crimes in Hyderabad.

Meta did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests ⁠for comment on ​Friday. The case ⁠adds to a string of tensions between Meta and Modi's government over content tied to ⁠the prime minister. India's IT ministry summoned Meta executives this week after Facebook briefly ​restricted a Modi post last week, with a top official saying ⁠the government wanted Meta to explain the matter at the highest level.

A Meta spokesperson ⁠said ​at the time that the post, which was Modi's first where he addressed massive student protests that forced the resignation of the ⁠education minister, had been blocked inadvertently. Modi has also come in for a barrage ⁠of online ⁠criticism, jokes and ridicule by protesters in recent weeks.

India is Facebook's biggest market by users.