Delhi Police Opposes Bulli Bai Creator Niraj Bishnoi's Bail Plea

The main accused in the development of the Bulli bai app which targeted Muslim women like journalists and activists online, Niraj Bishnoi had requested bail. The issue was being heard at the Patiala House Court in New Delhi. The Delhi Police, who arrested the man, has opposed the bail plea as the investigation in the case is at a "very nascent stage."

The 21-year-old Bishnoi, an engineering student from Jorhat in Assam, is said to be the main conspirator behind the Bulli bai application. It was built on GitHub and he is allegedly the Twitter account handler of the application too. Bishnoi was arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell's Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit on January 5, 2022.

Niraj Bishnoi Bail Plea Rejected:

His arrest took place along with an engineering student from Bengaluru, a young girl from Uttarakhand and one of her friends, who was arrested by Mumbai Police in connection with the case.

Suggested Reading: Reaction To ‘Bulli Bai’: Is Women’s Safety An Issue Only When It Suits An Agenda?

The Public Prosecutor who is representing Delhi Police in the case, Advocate Irfan Ahmed has submitted the contents of Bishon's Twitter handles, which is termed "derogatory" in nature. The accused allegedly through his social media handles used words like Suli and Buli to target women from the Muslim community. Advocate Ahmed added, "He is the one who created the website. The Investigation Officer is still investigating and only one victim (survivor) has turned up so far and there are many others who are yet to be found out."

The matter is being heard by Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana, who has adjourned the matter till January 27, when the court reopens after Republic day on January 26. By then, the Delhi Police have been asked to file a freshly detailed reply with regards to the case.

The advocate appearing on the accused's behalf L Ojha said that the accused was arrested as a suspect and the IT Act was slapped against him and in the Twitter handle. The advocate said that the accused had not used derogatory terms. He also pointed out section 153 A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with community harmony, being slapped on the accused and said that till now only one person has complained and there is no group or community who have done so.

However, the Delhi Police alleges that during the investigation, Bishnoi had disclosed about the app and how it was made in November 2021 and then updated in December 2021. The app had pictures and details of Muslim women from different professions like activists, journalists, amongst others. Moreover, the police had received several complaints and this is the second time that an app like this has emerged after Sulli Deals, which too targeted women from the Muslim community.

Bishnoi had made a bail plea earlier too. But it was dismissed by the Magistrate Court which found both the app and social media account run by Bishnoi as a vilification campaign against Muslim women.