GitHub case: Police write to Twitter for help, told to follow proper channels

🔴 The website was made using software development platform GitHub on December 31 and doctored photos of at least 100 Muslim women, along with lewd remarks and comments, were posted there.

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Twitter responded late Tuesday night, asking them to come through normal channels since this is not a “national security threat matter”. (File)

Days after lodging an FIR against unknown persons for allegedly uploading the photo of a woman journalist on a website alongside disparaging comments, the Delhi Police has approached Twitter urgently seeking details of two handles they believe are connected with the case. Twitter responded late Tuesday night, asking them to come through normal channels since this is not a “national security threat matter”.

The website was made using software development platform GitHub on December 31 and doctored photos of at least 100 Muslim women, along with lewd remarks and comments, were posted there. GitHub subsequently removed the content, but many Twitter users tagged the women and posted screenshots of the webpage.

On January 2, the South-east district police lodged an FIR against unknown persons and subsequently transferred the case to its Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit on January 4. Police are now planning to get a nod for a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to seek information about the app from its foreign-based hosting platform.

After lodging the FIR, police had sent a letter to GitHub seeking details of the website developer. From Twitter, they sought information about two accounts which they believe posted about the app first. The accounts were deactivated when victims started sharing their ordeal. “Sensing the gravity of the case, we asked Twitter to provide details of their IP addresses on an urgent basis, but they responded on Tuesday, asking to come through proper channels since it’s not a national security threat matter,” a senior police privy to the investigation said.

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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