<p>A Delhi court on Saturday asked a senior government official to appear and explain to it the process of serving summons to US-based websites, including Facebook and Google, accused of promoting class enmity and undermining national integrity.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Metropolitan magistrate Jay Thareja issued the summon to Amar Chand, under secretary in home ministry, for October 9 in connection with the case filed against 21 social networking websites for allegedly committing offences of selling obscene books and objects to youths and criminal conspiracy.<br /><br />The court’s order came after it received a reply from the official following its direction for serving summons to the US-based social networking websites through the MHA.<br />“The summons were sent on June 12, 2012. <br /><br />In response to the said summons, Amar Chand has sent a reply along with an annexure setting out the details mentioned in Article 4 of Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between US and India...Let Amar Chand, under secretary, be summoned for October 9,” the court said.<br /><br />The court, on June 8, had directed the MHA to get the summons served to various US-based websites which have been arrayed as accused in a complaint filed by Vinay Rai.<br />The websites named in the complaint include — Facebook, Orkut, YouTube, Yahoo, Blogspot, Google and Microsoft. <br /><br />The court had earlier discharged two websites, Shyni Blog and Exbii after the complainant’s counsel S P M Tripathi said he did not want to prosecute these two as their addresses were not found despite efforts.<br /><br />The court had said some of the accused were just “brand names” and no other information, including their addresses, have been mentioned in the complaint. <br />Earlier, the court had given a Union law ministry’s circular, dealing with the service of process in foreign countries, to Rai’s counsel.<br /><br />The Centre had earlier said there was sufficient material to proceed against the websites for alleged offences. <br /><br />The court had on December 23 last year issued summons to 21 social networking websites for allegedly committing offences of criminal conspiracy, sale of obscene books and objects to youths. <br /></p>
<p>A Delhi court on Saturday asked a senior government official to appear and explain to it the process of serving summons to US-based websites, including Facebook and Google, accused of promoting class enmity and undermining national integrity.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Metropolitan magistrate Jay Thareja issued the summon to Amar Chand, under secretary in home ministry, for October 9 in connection with the case filed against 21 social networking websites for allegedly committing offences of selling obscene books and objects to youths and criminal conspiracy.<br /><br />The court’s order came after it received a reply from the official following its direction for serving summons to the US-based social networking websites through the MHA.<br />“The summons were sent on June 12, 2012. <br /><br />In response to the said summons, Amar Chand has sent a reply along with an annexure setting out the details mentioned in Article 4 of Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between US and India...Let Amar Chand, under secretary, be summoned for October 9,” the court said.<br /><br />The court, on June 8, had directed the MHA to get the summons served to various US-based websites which have been arrayed as accused in a complaint filed by Vinay Rai.<br />The websites named in the complaint include — Facebook, Orkut, YouTube, Yahoo, Blogspot, Google and Microsoft. <br /><br />The court had earlier discharged two websites, Shyni Blog and Exbii after the complainant’s counsel S P M Tripathi said he did not want to prosecute these two as their addresses were not found despite efforts.<br /><br />The court had said some of the accused were just “brand names” and no other information, including their addresses, have been mentioned in the complaint. <br />Earlier, the court had given a Union law ministry’s circular, dealing with the service of process in foreign countries, to Rai’s counsel.<br /><br />The Centre had earlier said there was sufficient material to proceed against the websites for alleged offences. <br /><br />The court had on December 23 last year issued summons to 21 social networking websites for allegedly committing offences of criminal conspiracy, sale of obscene books and objects to youths. <br /></p>