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Calcutta High Court Orders YouTube, X, Instagram to Block Video

By Drooid · Oct 27, 2026, 4:58 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Calcutta Court Blocks

The Calcutta High Court ordered YouTube, X and Instagram to block the video “How Modi and Adani Stole India”.
The injunction stays in force until January 31, 2027, or until further court orders.
Adani Enterprises Limited filed a Rs 50 crore (?$5.25 million) defamation suit against Sabeer Bhatia.
YouTube, X and Instagram must preserve logs and disclose unidentified account holders within two weeks.
Bhatia reposted the video on X on October 22 after the original upload was disabled, showing lack of good faith.

Summary

Thackeray Deletes Film

MNS leader Raj Thackeray deleted the documentary after Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti requested it.
The film had amassed over 4.8 million views on X before its removal.
Thackeray accused the central government of ordering Maharashtra to cede hundreds of hectares in Bhimashankar to Torrent Group.
Thackeray said he will address a rally in Karjat on October 28, continuing his anti-monopoly campaign.

History

Historical Context

In 2015, the Supreme Court of India struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, curbing government-ordered online content removal. The ruling, delivered by Justice J.S. Khehar, cited the law’s Rs 5,000 (?$65) penalty and its chilling effect on free expression. Today, the Calcutta High Court’s injunction against YouTube, X, Instagram and the MNS’s video removal echo that precedent, forcing platforms to block politically sensitive material. Such judicial mandates risk reinstating pre-2015 censorship dynamics, prompting corporations to allocate millions for compliance and raising concerns over long-term digital dissent.

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Calcutta Court Blocks

The Calcutta High Court ordered YouTube, X and Instagram to block the video “How Modi and Adani Stole India”.
The injunction stays in force until January 31, 2027, or until further court orders.
Adani Enterprises Limited filed a Rs 50 crore (?$5.25 million) defamation suit against Sabeer Bhatia.
YouTube, X and Instagram must preserve logs and disclose unidentified account holders within two weeks.
Bhatia reposted the video on X on October 22 after the original upload was disabled, showing lack of good faith.

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