‘Bulli Bai’ app case: NCW writes to Delhi Police Commissioner to immediately register FIR in the matter
As the matter escalated, GitHub spokesperson said that the company has longstanding policies against content and conduct involving harassment, discrimination, and inciting violence.
New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to Delhi Police Commissioner regarding the Bulli Bai app case to immediately register FIR in the matter.
NCW in the letter dated January 2 said that after the Sulli deal outrage this is another incident reported of the same portal GitHub which is “condemnable in the strongest possible words”.
“The Commission is extremely anguished and distressed with the abovementioned crime against a woman on cyber space. You are, therefore, required considering the gravity of the matter to immediately register FIR in the matter,” reads NCW’s letter to Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana.
“The process must be expedited so that the alleged crime is not again repeated by the same portal ‘GitHub’. It is disappointing that even after the lapse of so many months since the “Sulli Deals” outrage, there has been no concrete action taken in the matter which is utterly unfortunate and concerning. The action taken in the matter in both the cases must be apprised to the Commission at the earliest.”
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police Cyber Cell detained a 21-year-old engineering student from Bengaluru, in connection with the ‘Bulli Bai’ application case on Monday.
Mumbai Police has not revealed the identity of the suspect detained from Bengaluru yet, except for his age. Police have registered a case against unknown culprits under relevant sections of IPC and the IT Act.
Earlier on Monday, Mumbai Police had also filed a first information report (FIR) against unknown persons based on complaints that doctored photographs of women were uploaded for auction on ‘Bulli Bai’ application hosted by GitHub platform.
On Sunday, West Mumbai Cyber Police station registered a case against the ‘Bulli Bai’ app developers and Twitter handles that promoted the app.
The case has been registered against the unknown culprits under sections 153(A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion etc), 153(B) (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 295(A) (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 354D (stalking), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 500 (criminal defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of Information Technology Act.
After both the Delhi and Mumbai police lodged FIR in the matter under relevant sections, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a tweet on Sunday said, “Government of India is working with police organizations in Delhi and Mumbai on this matter.”
As the matter escalated, GitHub spokesperson said that the company has longstanding policies against content and conduct involving harassment, discrimination, and inciting violence.
“We suspended a user account following the investigation of reports of such activity, all of which violate our policies. GitHub responds to law enforcement requests that comply with established legal procedures. We informed India police of our policy in this case, and will assist upon receiving valid legal process from them,” said GitHub spokesperson.