Police in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, had hired Google CEO Sundar Pichai and 17 others last week over a video that allegedly smeared Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but later removed the names of the giant’s officials. FIR technology, law enforcement officials said Friday.
The names of Pichai and three other top Google officials were removed after they were found “not involved” in the case, a police officer familiar with the investigation told PTI by phone.
The FIR was filed following a complaint from a local resident who claimed that he received more than 8,500 threatening calls on his mobile phone after he objected to the video that he first found on a WhatsApp group and later on YouTube, where he has more. five thousand rupees. opinions, officials said.
In addition to the US-based Pichai, others named to the FIR are three Google India officials, including Sanjay Kumar Gupta, according to the FIR housed at the Bhelupur police station on February 6.
A response from Google on the case is awaited.
Others named in the FIR include musicians from the Ghazipur district who allegedly made the song in the video, a recording studio and a local record company.
The FIR has been filed under sections 504 of the Indian Penal Code (intentional insult intended to cause breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 500 (defamation), 120B (part of a criminal conspiracy).
Charges have also been brought against the defendant under section 67 of the Information Technology Act (posting or transmission of obscene material), according to the FIR, accessed by the PTI.
“The names of Google officials were removed from the FIR the same day it turned out that they were not involved in the case. Other points are being investigated, ”an official from the local Bhelupur police station told PTI.
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