MHA Issues 91 Takedown Notices to X Corp, Over 1,100 URLs Flagged Since March 2024

December 23, 2025

New Delhi: Since March 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued 91 takedown notices to X Corp over a 20-month period, targeting more than 1,100 URLs for violating provisions of the IT Act. The notices were issued via the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). X Corp has resisted onboarding the MHA’s Sahyog portal, which also uses the same legal provision.

The majority of URLs Related to Public Order and Political Figures

Records show that 566 URLs were flagged for “disturbing public order,” while 124 targeted political and public figures. During the Lok Sabha polls in April-May 2024, 761 URLs were flagged, including 198 linked to election-related content under the Representation of the People’s Act.

Targeting Leaders and Public Figures

Notices included manipulated content of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and other public figures. Some URLs were linked to AI-generated or deepfake content. X Corp pushed back on multiple instances, arguing that most links did not violate forgery or defamation laws cited by MHA.

Criminal Activity and Fraudulent Content

Only 14 notices alleged criminal activity, including promotion of betting apps, impersonation for potential financial fraud, and child sexual abuse material. Some URLs were flagged for impersonating government officials or links to banned groups spreading pro-Khalistani content.

Operation Sindoor and National Security Notices

Five notices flagged 56 URLs threatening India’s integrity and sovereignty. Following Operation Sindoor, additional notices targeted content critical of the Indian Army or spreading misinformation about India-Pakistan tensions, citing UAPA and cyber terrorism provisions.

X Corp Challenges Takedown Process

X Corp contends that takedown orders under Section 79(3)(b) bypass judicial oversight, and that such directives should instead be issued under Section 69A of the IT Act, which is limited to national security and public order-related content. The matter is pending before the Karnataka High Court.