Hyderabad DCP shifted amid row over Meta India cases.
The transfer followed reported dissatisfaction after BJP-backed complaints prompted police cases over social media posts related to CJP protest content.
Key implications and reactions
- DCP Aravind Babu’s transfer is widely viewed as an administrative response to the political controversy surrounding the FIRs.
- The case may make cybercrime units more cautious while handling politically sensitive complaints involving major technology platforms.
- Congress and BJP have interpreted the episode differently, reflecting the broader political divide over the CJP protests.
- Meta has reportedly been asked to explain its content moderation practices concerning manipulated and AI-generated material.
- The FIRs could influence how future cases involving morphed political content are investigated under the BNS and IT laws.
- The controversy highlights the increasing intersection between policing, social media regulation and political disputes.
Hyderabad DCP shifted after Meta India cases spark political row
Hyderabad’s cybercrime unit has found itself at the centre of a political controversy after Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) V. Aravind Babu was relieved of his responsibilities on Friday evening, July 31, and directed to report to the state police headquarters. The transfer came only days after his unit registered two cases against Meta’s India head and several Facebook and Instagram accounts over allegedly morphed and objectionable content targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
What happened
The controversy began on Wednesday night, July 29, when two BJP-affiliated complainants approached Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police over social media content circulating during the ongoing student agitation led by.
- T. Saikiran Goud, a Telangana BJP social media committee member, filed a complaint against 20 Facebook and Instagram accounts, seeking action against both the account operators and Meta for hosting content he described as derogatory towards the Prime Minister and harmful to public order.
- In another complaint, BJP supporter S. Aravind Reddy alleged that several Instagram handles were sharing digitally manipulated and misleading videos and images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the US President and former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Acting on these complaints, Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police registered two FIRs under provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), naming both the account holders and Meta India head Arun Srinivas as accused.
Police stated that notices had been issued to Meta seeking information about the content and clarified that the investigation was still at a preliminary stage, with further action depending on digital evidence.
Why the cases triggered controversy
The timing of the FIRs made the issue politically sensitive.
The posts under investigation were linked to the CJP-led protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination system. The Congress leadership, both nationally and in Telangana, had openly expressed support for the student movement, making any legal action connected to the protest politically significant.
According to reports, senior officials within the Chief Minister’s Office and the police hierarchy expressed dissatisfaction over the registration of the cases based on complaints filed by BJP members. Following an internal review, DCP Aravind Babu was relieved of his responsibilities at the Hyderabad Commissionerate and directed to report to the state police headquarters.
The wider political backdrop
The CJP-led student movement has become a major political issue across the country.
While several opposition parties openly backed the protests, Congress leaders in Telangana also organised demonstrations condemning the Centre’s handling of the NEET paper leak issue.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy participated in public events expressing solidarity with protesting students, making the registration of FIRs over protest-related social media content particularly controversial.
What the FIRs allege
The complaints focus on:
- Allegedly morphed, AI-generated and digitally manipulated videos targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders.
- Offensive captions and comments accompanying those posts.
- Meta’s alleged failure to remove such content despite it being publicly accessible.
Police have stressed that investigations remain at an early stage and that no final conclusions have been reached regarding the creators of the content or Meta’s legal responsibility.
Although the legal proceedings remain at an early stage, the administrative fallout has already become significant. The transfer of DCP Aravind Babu has intensified debate over political influence, cyber policing and the handling of social media content during high-profile public protests.