BENGALURU: In relief for Twitter India Managing Director Manish Maheshwari, the Karnataka High Court on Friday quashed the notice issued to him under Section 41-A of CrPC by the Loni Border Police in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh in connection with a doctored video allegedly uploaded on Twitter to disrupt communal harmony.
Allowing the petition filed by Manish Maheshwari, who resides in the city, Justice G Narendar said that the petitioner made out a case that he is not an accused and the notice issued to him is malafide.
The court also noted that the writ petition filed by Maheshwari is maintainable. Treating the notice under question as a notice under Section 160 of the CrPC, the court added that the statement of the petitioner can be recorded virtually if investigators desired to do so.
The petitioner moved the Karnataka High Court on the ground that he was not named in the FIR and Twitter India does not have control over the contents uploaded on the platform of Twitter which is owned by USA based Twitter Inc.
In response, the UP police justified their action and pointed out the territorial jurisdiction of the Karnataka High Court, saying that the petitioner can approach the High Court in Allahabad, as the notice was issued by the UP police.