Delhi police have filed an FIR on the basis of a woman journalist’s complaint saying that unidentified people have uploaded her photograph and details for auction on an app known as ‘Bulli Bai’, using the hosting platform GitHub, Times of India reported.
The ‘Bulli Bai’ app has triggered outrage, especially on social media.
The Mumbai cyber police registered a case and initiated an inquiry into complaints that doctored photographs of at least 100 prominent women from the Muslim community were put up for auction on the app.
According to TOI, the journalist in her complaint to Delhi police said, “I was shocked to find out this morning that a website/portal called bullibai.github.io (since deleted) had a doctored picture of me in an improper, unacceptable and clearly lewd context. This needs immediate action, as the same is clearly designed to harass me…”
Last year, an app ‘Sulli Deals’ similar to ‘Bulli Bai’ where the uploading pictures of Muslim women was made captioned, “deals of the day”. Once the app is opened, the face of a prominent woman from the minority community would be randomly displayed as ‘Bulli Bai’.
In the ‘Sulli Deals’ controversy, two FIRs were filed by the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Police after photos of Muslim women were misused. However, no concrete action has been taken against the perpetrators.
On Sunday, Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that GitHub has blocked the ‘Bulli Bai’ site. “GitHub confirmed blocking the user this morning. CERT and police authorities are coordinating further action,” he tweeted adding that the Centre was working with police in Delhi and Mumbai. The special cell of Delhi police has also started a technical probe to track down the miscellaneous.
Shive Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Saturday had flagged the ‘Bulli Bai’ app to Mumbai police and Maharashtra minister of state for home and IT Satej Patil.
Patil, taking cognisance of misogyny and communal hatred, had ordered immediate and strict action against the culprits. Mumbai police initiated an inquiry within hours.
“Digital platforms like these are rife with misogyny and communal hatred aimed at women. This is very disturbing and shameful…” Patil said in a tweet.
National Commission for Women has also written to Delhi police to expedite action in this case “so that such crimes are not repeated”.
