The Delhi Police has informed a city court that its inquiry into a complaint against YouTuber Dhruv Rathee over a video concerning revered Hindu figures is still in progress, with investigators seeking electronic evidence and account-related information from Google and YouTube.
The police submitted a status report before Chief Judicial Magistrate Niharika Kumar Sharma, stating that the video under complaint contained statements that were allegedly derogatory and offensive towards several revered Hindu figures. The complainant has alleged that the content hurt religious sentiments.
Following the complaint, the police examined the video and began an inquiry into the allegations.
Google and YouTube asked to provide information
As part of the investigation, the police approached Google and YouTube seeking information connected with the account and the video under scrutiny.
According to the status report, the platforms sought clarification from the investigating agency regarding the nature of the inquiry, the relevance of the particular account and video, and the specific material that was the subject of the investigation.
The police informed the court that the requested clarifications were being provided and that a fresh communication was being sent to Google and YouTube seeking the required information.
The response from the platforms is still awaited.
The police said that the final status report would be filed after the information received from Google and YouTube is examined and the inquiry is completed.
Dispute had also reached Delhi High Court
The police report further noted that Sachdeva, who had approached the authorities over the video, had also moved the Delhi High Court.
On July 3, the High Court directed the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) to consider and decide her appeal expeditiously.
The GAC subsequently passed an order on July 15, directing that the video be removed after finding that the content had the potential to hurt religious sentiments.
The matter returned before the High Court on August 11, when the court took note of the GAC's decision. It was also recorded that Google/YouTube had subsequently restricted access to the video in India.
Police seek more time
The Delhi Police has now sought reasonable time from the trial court to complete the remaining inquiry and submit its final report.
The investigation is therefore yet to reach a final conclusion. The police are expected to assess the electronic and account-related information obtained from the platforms before determining the next course of action.
The proceedings highlight the legal questions surrounding online content alleged to offend religious sentiments, as well as the role of digital platforms in responding to complaints and directions issued by Indian authorities.
The court will consider the police's request for additional time as the inquiry continues.
