India investigating Netflix for visa violations, racial discrimination: Report
PTC News Desk: India is looking into the business practices of the US streaming giant Netflix's local operations, including allegations of visa violations and racial discrimination, according to a government email sent to a former executive.
The details of India's probe were revealed in a July 20 email, reviewed by Reuters, from a home ministry official to Netflix's former director of business and legal affairs for India, Nandini Mehta, who left the firm in 2020.
"This is regarding visa and tax violations concerns regarding the business practices of Netflix in India," wrote Indian official Deepak Yadav, Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) of the home ministry.
"We have received certain details in this regard w.r.t (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," he stated.
In an emailed statement, Mehta stated that she is pursuing a case against Netflix in the United States for alleged wrongful termination, as well as racial and gender discrimination, which the company rejects.
Mehta welcomed the Indian probe and expressed hope that the authorities will make their results public, but she did not elaborate on the government's allegations .
Yadav declined to comment, claiming he was not authorised to speak with the media. The FRRO and the Indian home ministry did not react to Reuters' enquiries.
The spokesperson for Netflix stated that the firm was "unaware of an investigation by the Indian government."
The Indian official's email shows increased scrutiny of Netflix in India, which has around 10 million users and is considered a growth market where companies target affluent people in a country of 1.4 billion people.
Over the years, the US streaming giant has created more local content starring Bollywood actors.
It has also received criticism in India for its content, which some users consider insensitive. This month, Netflix had to add new disclaimers to an Indian series portraying a plane hijack due to social media anger and government outrage over what they claimed were Muslim hijackers being portrayed as Hindus.
- With inputs from agencies
