New Delhi: Mumbai Police Cyber Cell on Monday detained a 21-year-old engineering student from Bengaluru in connection with a ‘bully bye’ app case, news agency ANI reported.
The development comes amid outrage on social media over the targeting of Muslim women through this app. Leaders across the political spectrum have condemned the cyber harassment of women belonging to the minority community and called for strict action against the culprits.
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The Mumbai Police Cyber Cell on Monday detained a 21-year-old engineering student from Bengaluru in connection with the case.
According to ANI, the Mumbai Police is yet to reveal the identity of the suspect, who was detained from Bengaluru, except his age. Police have registered a case against unknown criminals under relevant sections of IPC and IT Act.
The Mumbai Police had on Monday registered an FIR against unidentified persons based on a complaint that morphed photographs of women were uploaded for auction on the ‘Bully Buy’ application hosted by the GitHub platform.
Meanwhile, soon after the update on the suspect’s custody, Maharashtra Minister Satej D Patil said that Mumbai Police has got ‘success’ in the app case. “Cannot disclose details as it may hamper investigation,” he wrote on Twitter.
Delhi Police sought information from Twitter, GitHub
Earlier in the day, Delhi Police sought details from the GitHub platform about the developer of the ‘Bully Bai’ mobile application and asked Twitter to block and remove related “objectionable content” on its platform.
The police also sought information from Twitter about the account handler who first tweeted about the app.
A senior Delhi Police official was quoted by news agency PTI as saying, “As part of the investigation into the matter, we have written to Twitter seeking information about the account handle that had first tweeted about the ‘Bully Bai’ app.” ”
“It is to know how the person concerned got the purported application, in which objectionable material was written about women of a particular community,” the official said.
“We have asked Twitter to immediately remove and block any objectionable content from our platform that is shared through the said app and pertains to the entire controversy,” he said.
The Delhi Minorities Commission has also termed the matter as “serious” and issued a notice to city police chief Rakesh Asthana seeking an action taken report on January 10. There is a need to protect the interests of Muslim women by apprehending the criminals.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has also asked the police officials to appear later this week.
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‘Bully Bye’ App Row
PTI reported that hundreds of Muslim women were listed for “auction” on the Dodi app, in which photographs were taken and manipulated without permission.
According to PTI, the ‘Bully Bai’ app has pictures of Muslim women with a strong presence on Twitter. These women social media users, including journalists, have been selected on the basis of their strong presence along with the pictures uploaded on the app.
Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday condemned the harassment of Muslim women and alleged that it was a result of “repeated dehumanization of minorities by the BJP”.
Kharge said, “Strongly condemn this despicable harassment of Muslim women. This is a result of repeated dehumanization of minorities by the BJP leadership. Why were past instances of similar harassment ignored? I hope this time.” Strict action will be taken against the culprits,” Kharge said. wrote on Twitter.
BJP leader and Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that any “cyber criminal communal conspiracy” against the composite culture of the country will not succeed.
Talking to the media, Union Minority Affairs Minister Naqvi said that the government is taking action in this matter and said that targeting women like this is unacceptable.
He said strict action was being taken against such criminals and their “communal conspiracy” would be exposed soon.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi had on Saturday flagged off the ‘Bully Bai’ app to Mumbai Police as well as Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, demanding strict action against the creators.
Responding to Priyanka Chaturvedi’s tweet, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said hosting platform GitHub has confirmed the user’s blocking and CERT and police officials are coordinating further action.
He wrote in another tweet, “Govt of India is working with police organizations in Delhi and Mumbai on this matter.”
This is the second such case in less than a year as the app appears to be a clone of ‘Sully Deals’, which sparked controversy in 2021.
In July last year, a case was registered by the Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police after an unidentified group received a similar complaint about uploading of photographs of Muslim women on the ‘Sully Deals’ mobile application.
According to PTI, police officials said that investigation is underway in this case as well, but declined to divulge details.
(with inputs from agencies)
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