Delhi Police register sexual harassment case over 'auction listing' of Muslim women on app

A case has been registered by Cyber Police in Delhi following a complaint by a journalist, whose photo along with hundreds of other Muslim women were uploaded on a group called 'Bulli Bai'.

 Delhi police register sexual harassment case over 'auction listing' of Muslim women on app. (Illustration: Rahul Gupta/India Today)

Arvind Ojha, India Today, New Delhi, January 2, 2022 : A case has been registered by Cyber Police in Delhi following a complaint by a journalist, that photos of hundreds of Muslim women were uploaded on a group called 'Bulli Bai'.

The journalist, who is one of the women named in the app, took to Twitter informing that her complaint has been registered and a case under IPC sections 153A (Promoting enmity on grounds of religion etc), 153B (Imputations prejudicial to national-integration), 354A & 509 for sexual harassment has been filed.

The journalist has claimed that a group called 'Bulli Bai' was created like 'Sulli Deals' on GitHub, which would collect photos of Muslim women from their social media accounts and encourage people to participate in their "auction".

Several women, whose photos were posted on the group, took to social media to complain to the police.

I-T MINISTER ASHWINI VAISHNAW SAYS CERT, POLICE COORDINATING FURTHER ACTION

Taking cognisance of the incident, Information and Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the government was working with police organisations in Delhi and Mumbai on this matter.

Govt. of India is working with police organisations in Delhi and Mumbai on this matter. https://t.co/EOLUb0FlQe

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 2, 2022

Also, the perpetrator's account had been blocked by GitHub and police and Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) were investigating the matter, he said.

The National Commission for Women on Twitter said that it has taken cognisance of the incident and that the chairperson, Rekha Sharma, wrote to the Commissioner of Police in Delhi, Rakesh Asthana, to immediately register an FIR in the matter.

Earlier, the Delhi Police said they have taken cognisance of the matter and that concerned officials have been asked to take action. While Mumbai cyber police have initiated a probe in connection with the objectionable content, PTI quoted an official as saying.

OPPOSITION LEADERS DEMAND STRICT ACTION

Leaders of several political parties demanded quick and more effective action against the perpetrators.

In a tweet in Hindi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "The humiliation and communal hatred towards women will stop only when we all stand against it in one voice. The year has changed - now we have to speak up!"

While Congress MP Shashi Tharoor wrote, "It’s high time our Delhi Police got cracking. Disgraceful that people of such a mentality exists but if they are allowed to get away with it they will repeat the offence at the next opportunity."

Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote, "For context, no arrests, however sites blocked. In the reemergence of Bulli Deals after Sulli Deals, here are my letters to Hon. IT Minister dated July 30 and September 6, 2021. Received a response on November 2. The clubhouse auctioning was to be my zero hour intervention."

For context, no arrests, however sites blocked. In the reemergence of #BulliDeals after #SulliDeals here are my letters to Hon. IT Minister. Dated 30th July&6th September 2021. Received a response on 2nd November. The clubhouse auctioning was to be my zero hour intervention. pic.twitter.com/WvltiAH77U

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) January 2, 2022

WHAT WAS THE SULLI DEALS CASE ABOUT?

On July 4, 2021, several Twitter users shared screenshots of an app named 'Sulli Deals' that was created by an unidentified group on GitHub. It had put photos of Muslim women with a tagline "Sulli deal of the day" .

'Sulli' is a derogatory term used against women.

The app creators used photos of Muslim women from their social media accounts and encouraged people to participate in their "auction".

Two FIRs were filed by the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Police in the 'Sulli Deals' controversy.