Delhi HC Seeks Centre, Meta and WhatsApp’s Reply on Ex-SCBA President’s Plea Over Account Suspension
Former SCBA President Dr. Adish C. Aggarwala alleges the abrupt deactivation of his WhatsApp account violates his constitutional rights and has affected his professional legal work.
Delhi High Court Issues Notice to Meta and WhatsApp on Suspension of Senior Advocate’s Account
The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Union of India, Meta Platforms and WhatsApp LLC, among other respondents, to submit their replies to a petition moved by former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President and senior advocate Dr. Adish C. Aggarwala. The petition challenges the sudden deactivation of his WhatsApp accounts.
After taking up the matter, Justice Sachin Datta directed the respondents to file their responses and scheduled the next hearing for December 18.
Before the High Court, Aggarwala has invoked Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution, alleging that WhatsApp deactivated his accounts without prior warning, any show-cause notice, or an opportunity to secure his professional and personal data.
The suspension reportedly took place while Aggarwala was attending international legal conferences in Bangkok, London, Dubai and other locations, significantly affecting his work and participation in ongoing Bar Council election activities.
Emphasising that such unilateral action violates his fundamental rights, the plea states that the suspended accounts contained years of sensitive legal material, including communication with clients, legal drafts, confidential case files, Bar Council election documents and other professional records.
He contends that WhatsApp’s decision infringes Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(g), and 21, impacting his rights to equality, free speech, professional practice and dignity.
Citing the Supreme Court judgment in K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India, the plea argues that uninterrupted access to one's digital communication forms a crucial part of autonomy, informational privacy and personal dignity. The withholding of crucial professional data, he asserts, is a disproportionate and unreasonable restriction.
It has further been stated that WhatsApp has not appointed a grievance officer in India and lacks an effective redressal system despite legal requirements. The plea records that multiple emails and even a visit by his representative to WhatsApp’s Gurugram office on October 13, 2025, received no response.
Aggarwala submits that in the absence of a functional regulatory framework, he had no option but to seek urgent judicial intervention for the restoration of his accounts and protection of his rights.
Bench: Justice Sachin Datta
Hearing Date: 1 December 2025
[With ANI inputs]