Bhojpuri actress Neha Shree's Facebook account hacked, obscene content posted online, HC seeks FB's response

Pic Courtesy: Movie still

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response over the petition filed by Bhojpuri film actress Neha Shree seeking directions to Facebook and others to restore access to her FB page and account on the social media platform --which were hacked, and are being used to post explicit and illegal content.

A bench of Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar issued notice in the matter to respondents -- Facebook Inc, Delhi Government, and Delhi Police, and asked them to file a reply in the matter while listing the matter for the next hearing in March 28.

Adv. Kartickay Mathur and Adv. KK Shukla, representing the actress apprised the HC that a complaint has been registered on November 20 about the hacking of the Facebook page.

In order to remove the obscene, immoral, and illegal content from the page and restore it, the counsels sought the court's direction, praying for a police probe in the matter.

The petitioner submitted that she is a leading Bhojpuri actress and also appearing in various television shows, and she was also awarded by Rashtriya Gaurav Award.

She started her Facebook account and page in 2012 and since and subsequently, it reached more than 40 lakh followers on the social media platform.

However, the page got hacked on the night of October 19 and she received an email from Facebook stating that she has been removed as the administrator of the Neha Shree Facebook page.

Immediately after receiving the mail, a complaint was raised with Facebook informing them about the hacking. However, she only received "auto-generated" and "pre-typed" messages while nothing was done to restore her access.

Even after 30 days of the hacking, the issue has not been resolved despite complaints in different offices of Facebook in the city.

Meanwhile, due to posting of the obscene material on the hacked Facebook page, the petitioner's image which she had created with hard work in the last 10 years has suffered adversely, the petitioner said.

She has been receiving mails from friends, relatives, fans, and followers regarding the immoral content being posted on her Facebook account.

Though the petitioner has tried to reason upon them to clarify that account has been attacked by the hacker but it is difficult for her to reach out to her 40 lakh followers among whom the reputation of the petitioner has badly suffered, her petition contended.