Bulli Bai row: A look at what has happened so far

Representative image

Bulli Bai, an app 'auctioning' Muslim women, has surfaced - sparking nation-wide outrage. The controversial app, using hosting platform GitHub, featured photos of hundreds of Muslim women.

The cyber cell of the Mumbai police which is probing the ‘Bulli Bai' app case arrested an 18 year-old woman from Uttarakhand, along with a 21-year-old engineering student from Bengaluru.

Vishal Kumar Jha and co-accused Shweta Singh, who is from Uttarakhand, allegedly knew each other. According to police, more arrests in the case are likely. Singh in Uttarakhand, an official said, adding that she was operating multiple accounts related to the app, reported news agency PTI.

The Mumbai police had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified persons on January 1.

Amid outrage the Delhi police have also sought from Twitter information about the account handler who first tweeted about the app.

Leaders from across the political spectrum condemned the cyber harassment of women belonging to the minority community and called for strict action against the guilty. Many blamed it on right-wing elements.

The Delhi Union of Journalists and its gender council too expressed shock and anger over the targeting of Muslim women, including several journalists.

Terming the matter "serious", Delhi Minorities Commission issued a notice to city police chief Rakesh Asthana seeking an action-taken report on January 10. It said the interests of Muslim women need to be safeguarded by nabbing the culprits.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has also asked police officials to appear before it later this week.

Hundreds of Muslim women were listed for "auction" on the app with photographs sourced without permission and doctored. It has happened for the second time in less than a year.

Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil and Minister of State for Home Satej Patil said strict action will be taken against the culprits.

Satej Patil praised the "prompt action" by the Mumbai police, and said there seemed to be a "much bigger network" behind such coordinated crimes and the city police will unearth the "entire nexus that is enabling hate crimes against women in our country."

The incident came to light when some influential women active on the social media, especially from the Muslim community, complained that their doctored photos were uploaded.

Quratulain Rehbar, a journalist from Kashmir, was also listed on the 'online auction'.

Taking to Twitter she wrote, "Last year I wrote about how muslim women's pictures were auctioned online where women felt haunted and humiliated."

Last year I wrote about how muslim women's pictures were auctioned online where women felt haunted and humiliated. Today, after a year seeing my own picture in another trend #bullideals, besides other muslim womens', makes me feel utmost disgusting. https://t.co/AE0N1sInE2

— Quratulain Rehbar (@ainulrhbr) January 1, 2022

Ismar Ara, New Delhi based journalist, filed a complaint with the Delhi Police after she found herself as part of the 'auction'.

UPDATE: An FIR has been registered by Cyber Police (South East Delhi) on the basis of my complaint with IPC sections 153A (Promoting enmity on grounds of religion etc), 153B (Imputations prejudicial to national-integration), 354A & 509 for sexual harassment. #BulliDealspic.twitter.com/dJ1mspyiGI — Ismat Ara (@IsmatAraa) January 2, 2022

This was the second time that an incident of ‘auctioning’ of Muslim women has happened in less than a year. The ‘Bulli Bai’ app reminded of ‘Sulli Deals’ which came to light in July 2020, also on GitHub. Both names are derogatory terms for women of the particular religion.

(With PTI inputs)