Business
Bombay HC keeps Blink Digital Meta suit in India
The Indian Express·
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed Meta's bid to move Blink Digital's Rs 1,000 crore suit to California. Justice Sandeep V Marne held Indian courts have jurisdiction under local laws. Blink sued after Meta disabled four business manager accounts on August 4, 2026, shutting about 9,000 ad accounts. The judge said parties cannot contract out of mandatory Indian statutes.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Indian advertisers suing major platforms can keep the dispute in Indian courts despite California contract clauses.
- Blink Digital's claim for restoration and Rs 1,000 crore damages will proceed before the Bombay High Court.
- Meta remains bound by IT Act intermediary duties when it operates as a significant social media intermediary in India.
What's Happening
- Meta filed an interim application seeking return of the plaint to a California forum.
- Justice Marne rejected the exclusive California-law argument and kept jurisdiction in India.
- Facebook India Online Services Private Limited did not object to the High Court's jurisdiction.
Why Indian Courts Kept The Suit
- Blink Digital said disablement on August 4 lacked a prior hearing and violated the IT Act and 2021 Intermediary Guidelines.
- The court said a private jurisdiction clause cannot override non-derogable Indian statutes and public policy.
- The judge said Indian law prevents a platform from taking India profits while avoiding India obligations.
all-news