New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS) The case of 21 social networking sites allegedly hosting objectionable content was Friday adjourned in a Delhi court till March 13. The court has directed the external affairs ministry to serve the summons issued to foreign-based social networking sites.

The petition moved by Vinod Rai has requested the court to remove objectionable content from 21 websites. Among these, 12 websites are of foreign-based companies.

However, counsel for Facebook, Google India Private Limited, Yahoo India, and others appeared in the court seeking exemption on the ground that the matter is pending in the Delhi High Court and would be taken up Monday.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sudesh Kumar earlier summoned the accused companies to face trial for allegedly committing the offence punishable under sections 292 (sale of obscene books etc.), 293 (sale of obscene objects to young person etc.) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The magistrate had directed the central government to take immediate appropriate steps on the objectionable content of the sites, and file its report by Jan 13.