On Thursday, the Delhi Police updated a local court regarding their ongoing investigation into a complaint against YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, centered around his video addressing several esteemed Hindu figures. The police are currently in the process of gathering electronic evidence and account information from Google and YouTube.
This information was presented to Chief Judicial Magistrate Niharika Kumar Sharma, where the police indicated that the video in question reportedly contained offensive remarks about prominent Hindu figures, which may have offended religious sentiments.
The inquiry stems from a complaint lodged by Amita Sachdeva on March 22, 2026. She accused Rathee of misrepresenting Hindu scriptures, disrespecting Sanatan Dharma, and fostering communal discord. Sachdeva claimed that Rathee made unfounded and harmful assertions suggesting that revered figures such as Lord Ram and Sita engaged in non-vegetarian eating and alcohol consumption by misinterpreting or selectively quoting Hindu texts.
In response to these allegations, an investigation was initiated, during which the police sought to review the video. They issued a request to Google and YouTube for pertinent information. In turn, Google and YouTube requested clarifications related to the inquiry, including the significance of the account and video, as well as the specific content under scrutiny.
The police informed the court that they are providing the necessary clarifications and submitting a new request to Google and YouTube for the required details, with their response still pending.
Furthermore, the police indicated that they would be able to file a conclusive status report after obtaining and reviewing the information from Google and YouTube, thereby completing the inquiry.
The police report also mentioned that Sachdeva has sought recourse from the Delhi High Court regarding the video. On July 3, the High Court instructed the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) to expedite the consideration of her appeal. Subsequently, on July 15, the GAC ordered the removal of the video, citing its potential to offend religious sentiments.
On August 11, the High Court acknowledged the GAC’s decision, noting that access to the video had been restricted by Google and YouTube within India. The police have requested additional time from the court to finalize their investigation and submit a comprehensive report.
