NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW/BHOPAL: Even as Twitter is in the government’s crosshairs over new IT rules, trouble is mounting for the company and its senior officials in India. Multiple cases have been registered against them over a distorted map of the country and child pornographic contents.
Acting upon a complaint from National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Delhi Police’s Cyber Cell on Tuesday registered an FIR against Twitter India for allegedly allowing access to child pornography in the form of various links and accounts. The microblogging site has been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and IT Act, said Delhi Police.
FIRs have also been registered against Twitter India Managing Director Manish Maheshwari and other senior officials in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh over a wrong map of India put up on the microblogging website.
The first case was registered on Monday night against Maheshwari and Twitter India’s news partnership head Amrita Tripathi in Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh on a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal leader, Praveen Bhati. The two senior officials were booked under Section 505(2) of IPC (statements conducing to public mischief) and Section 74 of IT Act, which deals with publication for fraudulent purpose.
A world map showing J&K and Ladakh detached from India emerged on the career section of the social media giant’s website on Monday. Twitter removed it as it sparked outrage. On Tuesday, Madhya Pradesh Police’s Cyber Cell registered a case against the Twitter India MD and others in Bhopal. The FIR was registered under Section 505(2) of IPC by social activist and BJP leader Durgesh Keswani. “If it’s found that the alleged crime invites IT Act sections, its provisions will be added,” a police official said.
UP moves SC for arrest of Twitter MD
The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court, challenging the Karnataka High Court order granting protection from arrest to Twitter India Managing Director Manish Maheshwari in connection with the Ghaziabad assault video case. Maheshwari has also filed a caveat, seeking an opportunity to present his case before the top court passes any order. Ghaziabad police had issued a notice to Maheshwari, asking him to appear at the Loni police station for questioning in the investigation.