How to Remove a Google Review
in India
A legal step-by-step guide for individuals and businesses across India. Standard Google flag-and-report has a low success rate for clearly defamatory reviews. Legal notices under IT Act 2000 create binding obligations Google must comply with.
The legal process.
Document the review: screenshot with URL, date, and reviewer profile.
Assess legal actionability: determine if the review is defamatory (false statement of fact) vs opinion. RepuLex provides free assessment.
IT Act Section 79 notice: RepuLex issues a formal legal notice to Google India compelling removal within 36 hours under IT Rules 2021.
IPC 499/500 notice: simultaneously, a criminal defamation notice is issued to the review originator — creating personal liability.
Google de-indexing: once removed, a formal de-indexing request is filed. Review is removed from Maps and Search results permanently.