New Delhi: The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) Monday issued summons to the cyber crime cell of the Delhi Police in the ‘Bulli Bai’ app case, and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
The commission took suo motu cognisance of media reports regarding pictures of Indian Muslim women being uploaded on software development platform ‘GitHub’ without their consent, months after a now-defunct website called ‘Sulli Deals’ put up similar photographs and listed them for “sale”.
DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal also directed the Delhi Police to appear before it on 6 January with the complete case files of both cases, saying that such cases are happening due to the “callous behaviour of the Delhi Police in matters related to cyber crime”.
“I am of the view that these incidents are happening due to the callous behaviour of the Delhi Police in matters related to Cyber Crime. Why have no arrests been made till date in the Sulli Deals matter?” Maliwal asked.
“Delhi Police must make arrests in both ‘Sulli Deals’ and ‘Bulli Bai’ matters urgently and get their act together in other cases related to cyber crime. Have issued summons to them. Shall ensure accountability,” she added.
The commission also highlighted that the Delhi Police is yet to make any arrests in the Sulli Deals case, even when the FIR was filed in July last year.
It also said non-arrest of culprits in such a serious matter is appalling and that this callous attitude of the law enforcement agency has emboldened the culprits and others “who are continuing to ‘sell’ women and girls online.”
The DCW has also sought details from the Delhi Police of action taken against GitHub, along with steps taken in preventing such platforms from uploading derogatory content in the future.
Speaking to ThePrint, Chinmoy Biswal, spokesperson for the Delhi Police, confirmed that an FIR was registered in the Bulli Bai case and the investigation is on. However, he refused to comment on the summons issued by the DCW.
IT minister says working with police
After the matter came to light Sunday, many politicians, journalists and activists expressed outrage.
On the complaint of a woman journalist who was targeted by the app, Delhi Police registered an FIR Sunday under Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code.
Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnav also said that the central government is working with police organisations in Mumbai and Delhi in this matter.
This story first appeared on theprint.in