Bengaluru, June 18: A Bengaluru civil court has directed social media platforms X (formerly Twitter), Google, and Meta to block and remove content that Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan described as defamatory.
The order was issued by the XVI Additional City Civil and Sessions Court in Bengaluru on June 11.
Court Grants Relief to Pawan Kalyan
Pawan Kalyan approached the court seeking protection against the publication and circulation of content that he claimed was false and damaging to his reputation. The court directed the platforms and other persons connected to them not to publish, republish, upload, broadcast, or display the disputed content until the next hearing.
What Triggered the Case?
The case comes amid controversy and discussions on social media regarding allegations related to land encroachment in Janwada, Telangana. Pawan Kalyan argued that several online posts, articles, and videos contained defamatory claims against him. His legal team sought court intervention to stop the spread of such content.
Court Extends Earlier Injunction
Earlier, on June 10, the court granted an interim injunction in favour of Pawan Kalyan.
Later, his legal team requested a modification to include specific online links and URLs that allegedly carried defamatory material.
After reviewing the request, the court expanded its order and included the identified links within the scope of the injunction.
Platforms Directed to Block Content
The court observed that the disputed content included articles, statements, social media posts, and videos containing allegations against Pawan Kalyan. To ensure effective implementation of its earlier order, the court directed X, Google, and Meta to block access to the flagged content.
Next Hearing on July 24
The matter will come up for further hearing on July 24, 2026. The case is expected to focus on whether the content in question amounts to defamation and what further action may be required.
The court’s order marks a significant development in the legal battle over online content concerning the Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister.