Up Police Sends Legal Notice To X Against Liver Doc

Social Media Platform X (formerly Twitter) has received a legal notice from the Uttar Pradesh police regarding the handle @theliverdoc, run by Dr. Abby Philips, for content that violates the Information Technology (IT) Act. In an email to Dr. Philips that he posted on X, the micro-blogging site explained that it had not taken any action against the account as a result of the notice and stated, “It is our policy to notify our users if we receive a request from an authorized entity (such as law enforcement or a government agency) to remove content from their account.”

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>The Uttar Pradesh Law Enforcement is trying to shut down my Twitter account. This is how the alternative medicine industry and its practitioners within AYUSH department/ministry in India, respond to scientific criticism. <a href=”https://t.co/h9v6deIcqU”>pic.twitter.com/h9v6deIcqU</a></p>— TheLiverDoc (@theliverdr) <a href=”https://twitter.com/theliverdr/status/1792068408382730494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>May 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>  

Last week, Medianama had reported on a similar story, where the UP Police had filed an FIR against Dr. Philips under section 66 of the IT Act for “abusing”, “defaming” and personally “attacking” the AYUSH mode of treatment. A legal notice received by him invited him to the police station to present his defence. His account had also been blocked last year, due to a temporary injunction from the Bangalore High Court, following a case filed by the Himalaya Wellness Corporation accusing Dr. Philips of defamation.

Inderpal Singh Senger, Police Inspector, Crime Branch of RaeBareli, confirmed to Medianama that the notice to X was sent in connection with the same FIR, which was first filed in September 2023. He also confirmed that the notice was sent under section 66 of the IT Act.

Section 66A of the IT Act was struck down by the Supreme Court in the landmark Shreya Singhal v. Union of India case, terming it “unconstitutionally vague.” However, use of the act has persisted, with at least 1307 FIRs being filed after the judgement, with the Supreme Court calling for immediate remedial measures against Section 66A cases in 2022.

Also Read:

• “Zombie” Section 66A Returns in Fresh FIR Against Editors Guild of India for Report on Manipur Violence
• ‘Grossly Offensive Speech’: IT Act’s Struck Down Section 66A Reappears in India’s Cybercrime Proposal at U.N.
• Allahabad HC Rules that Liking A Post Online Doesn’t Amount to Publishing or Transmitting Obscene Content

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The post UP Police Sends Legal Notice To X Against Liver Doc appeared first on MEDIANAMA.