X Corp (formerly Twitter) has informed the Delhi High Court that it cannot be legally compelled to onboard the SAHYOG portal. This platform, developed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), aims to streamline cooperation between social media intermediaries and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) for immediate action against unlawful online content.
According to X Corp, it has its own internal mechanism for processing legal takedown requests. The company argues that the SAHYOG portal does not align with the statutory framework of Section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. Additionally, X Corp contends that onboarding the portal would establish a parallel mechanism lacking the procedural safeguards defined under the law.
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Court Proceedings and X Corp's Position
A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Amit Sharma recorded X Corp's stance while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by a mother seeking the whereabouts of her missing 19-year-old son. The case gained importance after the Delhi Police reached out to Meta Platforms (Instagram) on September 6 for crucial information related to the missing individual's account activity.
During the hearings, I4C reported concerns about X Corp’s non-cooperation in past requests, particularly regarding child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM). I4C emphasized that other major intermediaries, such as Google, YouTube, and Telegram, have already joined the SAHYOG portal, while Meta platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, are in the process of integration.
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The court stated:
"It is expected that all platforms shall extend cooperation in furnishing information to LEAs, especially when the same relates to incidents concerning missing children, missing persons, and serious crimes."
Development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
To ensure better coordination, the Delhi High Court previously directed Delhi Police to collaborate with social media intermediaries and prepare a handbook detailing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for obtaining crucial information. The final 79-page handbook, approved by the Commissioner of Police, has now been uploaded to the Delhi Police website for reference by LEAs nationwide.
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"Let the said handbook be uploaded by the Delhi Police on its website for access, benefit, and guidance of LEAs and similar agencies across the country," the court ruled.
Next Steps in Legal Proceedings
Despite I4C's insistence that X Corp should comply with SAHYOG, the social media company remains firm in its position. It has even approached the Karnataka High Court, seeking protection from any coercive action for not joining the platform.
The Delhi High Court is set to review the matter further on April 29, 2025. Meanwhile, the case continues to raise questions about the balance between regulatory oversight and intermediary compliance under Indian cyber laws.
Title: SHABANA v. GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI AND ORS.
