Kochi, Oct 25 (IANS): Two weeks after the Kerala High Court directed the state police chief to have a closer look into vested interests playing mischief, especially on social media, when new films are released, the Ernakulam Central police on Wednesday registered the first case on this count and charged nine persons.

Those charged include social media giants Facebook, YouTube and seven others and the police has begun its probe.

The Ernakulam Central police registered the FIR based on a complaint by film director Ubaini Ebrahim after he found that the social media was flooded with negative reviews of his recently released Malayalam film "Rahel Makan Kora".

The High Court, early this month, acted on a petition filed by Mubeen Rauf, the director of "Aromalinte Adyathe Pranayam" that he believed his film got a negative impact due to the alleged foul play by vloggers and sought action.

At this, the court made it clear that checks and balances have to be there and ruled that "the state police chief, through the learned government pleader, will also inform this court as to if an individual or an entity can file a complaint against such activities, including unlawful and motivated ‘Review Bombing’; and the modus for such, leading to the manner of investigation and its conclusion, apart from other suggestions".

"It must, however, be specifically kept in mind by the state police chief that, what he is now being called to respond to, is regarding action only in the cases of motivated and calculated reviews made solely to extort and blackmail; and not those which are made bona fide," the court clarified.