UP Police Books Google's Sundar Pichai Over Video, Later Removes Name from FIR

VARANASI: Uttar Pradesh Police in Varanasi had booked Google CEO Sundar Pichai and 17 others last week over a video that allegedly defamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi. UP Police, however, removed the names of Google officials from the First Information Report or FIR, police officials said on Friday.

The names of Pichai and three other Google top officials were removed after they were found to be not involved in the case, according to reports.

According to officials, the FIR was lodged after a complaint by a local resident who reportedly claimed that he received over 8,500 threatening calls on his mobile phone after he raised objections over the video which he first came across in a WhatsApp group and later on YouTube, where it has amassed over five lakh views.

Besides Google head Sundar Pichai, three Google India officials including Sanjay Kumar Gupta were also named in the FIR which was lodged at Bhelupur police station on February 6.

Google has however not responded to the case yet, and the tech giant's response over the case is awaited.

Others named in the FIR include Ghazipur district-based musicians who allegedly made the video song, a recording studio and a local music label company involved in the production and making of the objectionable video in question.

The FIR has been lodged under Indian Penal Code sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 500 (defamation), 120B (party to a criminal conspiracy).

According to reports, charges under the Information Technology Act's section 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material) have also been invoked against the accused.

"The names of Google officials were removed from the FIR the same day as it turned out that they were not involved in the case. Investigation on other points is underway," an official from the local Bhelupur police station informed.

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