JOIN USFIRs registered after Muslim women pics uploaded on app
Photos of 100 influential Muslim women were found to have been uploaded for auction on an app called 'Bulli Bai', which sparked widespread condemnation and forced the Centre's cybersecurity agency to intervene and registration of FIRs in Delhi and Mumbai.
The Delhi Police registered an FIR on Sunday after a woman journalist filed a complaint over the app, while the Mumbai Cyber Crime Division has also started probing the incident and registered cases against the app and Twitter handles which promoted it.
The app was blocked after police action.
This is the second time that such an incident has come to light. Last year in July, a similar app called 'Sulli Deals' was created and pictures of Muslim women were uploaded; and like 'Bulli Bai' it was hosted on GitHub.
Reacting to the matter, Union Minister for IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said that GitHub, the hosting platform, has confirmed blocking the user and that Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), the nodal agency that deals with cyber security threats, and police authorities are coordinating to take further action.
"Govt of India is working with police organisations in Delhi and Mumbai on this matter," tweeted Vaishnav on Sunday.
'Bulli Bai' app works the same way as 'Sulli Deals', with Muslim women with a strong presence on Twitter, including journalists, being targeted and their photos uploaded.
Several women, including the complainant, posted screenshots of their photos with “lewd context” being used on the webpage.
"Bulli Bai looks like another version of 'Sulli Deals'," said an officer from the Delhi Police.
Delhi Police cyber unit contacted Twitter India, following which the social media platform blocked the account of the person who first posted about the app.
GitHub informed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) that it received a complaint from Mumbai Police and that their headquarters was in the process of taking action.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Saturday had tweeted about the app and demanded stern action against the culprits and tagged Mumbai Police as well.
Two FIRs were filed by Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh Police into the 'Sulli Deals' incident last year. However, police have not shared any details of the investigation so far.
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