Indian Government Investigates Netflix For Visa Violations And Racial Discrimination Amid Former Executive’s Lawsuit

New Delhi: The Indian government is probing Netflix’s business practices involving visa rule violations and racial discrimination. According to Reuters, a government email from July 2023 details these concerns, seeking an explanation from former Netflix legal executive Nandini Mehta who left the company in 2020. She filed a lawsuit in the US against Netflix for wrongful termination and discrimination.

Netflix has denied knowledge of any probe against it by the Indian government. The US streaming giant has been under broader security over its content in the past. Earlier, the tax authorities had launched investigations into alleged tax evasion by Netflix, the report added.

“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,” wrote Indian official Deepak Yadav from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) of the home ministry in New Delhi.

In an emailed statement, Mehta confirmed that she is pursuing a lawsuit in the US against Netflix, alleging wrongful termination along with racial and gender discrimination, claims that the company denies. She expressed support for the investigation and hopes the Indian authorities will make their findings public, though she did not provide further details about the government’s allegations, the report added.