Allahabad HC exempts Shaadi.com CEO from liability over user actions
The Allahabad High Court ruled that Shaadi.com and its CEO Anupam Mittal are not liable for users’ actions, citing IT Act protections, and quashed a 2022 FIR alleging cheating, extortion, and obscenity on the platform.
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The Allahabad High Court has ruled that matrimonial platform Shaadi.com cannot be held responsible for the actions of its users, providing a legal endorsement of the company’s intermediary role under the Information Technology (IT) Act, Bar and Bench reported.
The Division Bench, comprising Justices Siddhartha Varma and Madan Pal Singh, quashed a criminal case against Shaadi.com founder and CEO Anupam Mittal, which included allegations of cheating, extortion and obscenity. The case originated from a 2022 complaint alleging that a user on the platform had engaged in blackmail and obscene behavior.
As per the report, the Court observed that Shaadi.com, as an intermediary, merely facilitates the exchange of information and cannot be held liable for the misconduct of individual users. “An intermediary definitely would not be responsible for the actions of candidates whose profiles have been accepted by it,” the judgment stated, citing protections under Section 79(1) and (2) of the IT Act.
The ruling underscores the legal boundaries for digital matchmaking platforms and highlights Shaadi.com’s proactive compliance with IT regulations, including addressing user complaints. The Court also noted that Mittal could not be personally implicated and that the aggrieved user had continued using the platform despite the incidents.
