Kerala High Court Orders Meta, Google to Preserve N.K. Akbar's Social Media Records

The Kerala High Court has directed technology firms Google and Meta to preserve social media content and related digital records linked to Guruvayur MLA N.K. Akbar. The order covers certain posts and YouTube videos that are alleged to have been prejudicial to C.H. Rasheed, who contested against the MLA in the May 2026 Legislative Assembly elections.

Justice Harisankar V. Menon issued the direction while hearing a petition filed by Mr. Rasheed, who has accused Mr. Akbar of engaging in corrupt practices during the election campaign. The petition points to the circulation of specific pamphlets and videos as the basis of the allegation.

Mr. Rasheed sought the immediate preservation of the disputed content, along with its edit and deletion history, timestamps and other digital records, so that the material can be used as evidence in his election petition.

According to the plea, the content in question portrayed him as being involved in the alleged murder of former Chavakkad municipal chairman K.P. Valsalan in 2006. It is further alleged that the material projected him as a person opposed to the Muslim community, which, the petition claims, led a large number of voters to cast their ballots against him.

The petition alleges that Mr. Akbar committed offences of promoting enmity between different classes on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language, as well as the publication of false statements by a candidate under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The court's direction to the two platforms is aimed at ensuring that the impugned content and its associated records remain intact pending further proceedings.