YouTube blocks access to Fifth Estate story on killing of B.C. Sikh activist at demand of India

YouTube is blocking access in India to a story by CBC's on the alleged contract killing of a Canadian Sikh separatist after the Indian government ordered the social media platform to take that action.

story released on Friday included video of the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June as he left his place of worship in Surrey, B.C.

In an email to CBC on Wednesday, YouTube said it had received an order from India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to block access to the video of the story from its website.

YouTube confirmed to CBC News Wednesday afternoon that «the content has now been blocked from view» on the India YouTube country site.

• Watch the full documentary, ," from on YouTube or stream it on CBC Gem.

Meanwhile, X, formerly known as Twitter, also informed CBC that it had received a legal removal demand from the government relating to the story.

«Indian law obligates X to withhold access to this content in India; however, the content remains available elsewhere,» X said in an email to

«We disagree with this action and maintain that freedom of expression should extend to these posts. Following the Indian legal process, we are in current communication with the Indian authorities.»

In emails from YouTube and X to CBC, the platforms said the Indian government was citing the country's Information Technology Act 2000 in making the orders.

According to one section of that act, the government has the power to «intercept, monitor or decrypt any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource.» Such action can be taken, according to the act, in the interest of:

• The sovereignty or integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state.
• Friendly relations with