My social media account was hacked while I was in Kolkata; how do I recover it legally?

Account hacking is prosecuted under Section 66 of the IT Act for unauthorised access and Section 66C for identity theft. File a complaint with the Kolkata cyber police and use the platform's recovery flow, supplying the original email, phone and creation date to prove ownership.

The platform is obliged under the IT Rules, 2021 to restore access on a verified complaint within a reasonable time. The Calcutta High Court can direct the intermediary to restore the account if it fails to act on a legitimate grievance.

West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act 1997 does not add a separate remedy, since intermediary liability is governed centrally by the IT Act. Preserve the recovery emails, the date of creation and any linked payment instruments to substantiate ownership.

Warn your contacts in Kolkata about the hack to prevent phishing messages sent in your name.