India probing Netflix over racial discrimination claims – media
New Delhi is investigating Netflix, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing an e-mail sent by a government office to a former company executive in July.
The email was reportedly sent by New Delhi’s Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), an authority under the Ministry of Home Affairs, to Nandini Mehta, the US streaming company’s former director of business and legal affairs for India. It notes that the Indian government has “visa and tax violations concerns” regarding Netflix operations in the country.
“We have received certain details in this regard with respect to the stated company’s conduct, visa violation, illegal structures, tax evasion and other malpractices including incidents of racial discrimination that the company has been engaged in while conducting its business in India,” the email cited by Reuters noted.
Mehta, who left the company in 2020, stated via email that she is suing Netflix in the US for alleged “wrongful termination” as well as “racial and gender discrimination.” Netflix has denied the allegations in a US court and stated that Mehta was fired for repeatedly using her corporate credit card for personal expenses.
The streaming service is still responding to criticism of ‘IC 814 – The Kandahar Hijack,’ a show that was released last month. The series, based on the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, has sparked outrage for failing to clearly present the identities of the terrorists.
During the hijacking, the terrorists referred to each other as “Chief,” “Doctor,” “Burger,” “Bhola,” and “Shankar,” according to official records. These names were used in the Netflix series, despite the real identities of the terrorists now being known: Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, and Shakir. Following the series’ release on August 29, social media erupted with calls to boycott both the show and the streaming platform.
India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting summoned the content head of Netflix India, Monika Shergill, to seek an explanation for the controversy.
An unnamed New Delhi official, speaking to the media, accused the platform of disrespecting the sentiments of Indians.
Later, ANI, an Indian news agency whose footage was used for the show, also sued Netflix, claiming the company had not obtained its permission to use the clips. The streaming platform used the outlet’s archive footage and its trademark without permission, Sidhant Kumar, ANI’s lawyer, told Reuters. Following the outcry, Netflix updated the disclaimer to the series, adding the real and code names of the hijackers.
