Court proceedings against Facebook, Google on hold

A Delhi court Monday stayed the proceedings against 13 websites, including Facebook and Google, on a complaint which accused them of promoting "class enmity" and "undermining national integrity".

Citing denial of assistance from the US authorities, Metropolitan Magistrate Jay Thareja stayed the proceedings against the websites, including Orkut, YouTube, Yahoo and Microsoft.

The court said recording of pre-charge evidence against other accused websites would commence from Sep 28.

The complaint was filed against the websites by transparency activist Vinay Rai for allegedly committing offences like selling obscene materials to the youth and hatching criminal conspiracy.

The court said: "The proceedings qua accused (13 accused websites)... Have already been stayed due to denial of assistance by the US department of justice," the court said.

The central government earlier told the court that the US authorities were unable to execute the request for assistance in serving summons on these US-based websites.