A DEEP DIVE INTO THE CONTROVERSIAL BULLI BAI APP CASE

The infamous case of Niraj Dashrath Bishnoi v. The State of Maharashtra 2022 started making headlines when an app named “Bulli Bai” was created on the GitHub platform. Similarly in July 2020, an app and website called “Sulli Deals” was also created with profiles of more than 80 Muslim women, using photos which they uploaded on their social media handles and described them as "deals of the day". In both cases, there was no actual sale of any kind but the purpose was to degrade and humiliate Muslim women by sharing their personal images.

This article encompasses the exploitation of technological platforms to propagate extremist ideologies and exacerbate violence predicated on gender. Additionally, it addresses the severe afflictions targeted at Muslim women, contributing to the escalation of radicalization and associated concerns.

The term “Bulli” is a derogatory slang for Muslim women used in a layman language. The case went viral after a journalist saw her photo which was posted in the app without her consent. The caption of the picture was labelled as “Your bulli bai of the day” etc. and hashtags such as #Bullideals #sullideals #BulliBai. Prominent Muslim women such as Fatima Khan (journalist for The Quint), Hiba Beg (social activist), and several others were also targeted by posting their pictures on the app and apparently creating a fake auction for the sale of such Muslim women. In January 2022 when such photos started surfacing on multiple social media platforms, a FIR was lodged by the victims in Delhi and Mumbai police stations. The FIR stated that the informant discovered an app run by a Sikh community, allegedly designed to recruit Muslim women as maids based on Islamophobic beliefs. This information was found in the bio of one account, while another account featured a picture of the informant with a caption suggesting she could work as an escort maid. The case finally reached to the Additional Session Court of Delhi and Mumbai respectively.

On January 4, 2022, the police apprehended the primary suspect in the Bulli Bai case, an 18-year-old woman named Shweta Singh from Uttarakhand, who allegedly managed the Twitter accounts and posted tweets and images. Following her arrest, after 10 hours of interrogation, a 21-year-old man named Vishal Jha was also detained in Bangalore. Another individual involved, Mayank Rawal, 21, the son of an army personnel stationed in Jammu, was apprehended by a Mumbai Cyber Police team in Paurhi Garhwal, Uttarakhand, on January 5, 2022. Neeraj Bishnoi, identified as the main account holder of the Bulli Bai app and the purported mastermind, was apprehended by the IFSO unit of the Delhi Police Special Forces on January 7, 2022. He was responsible for creating the app on GitHub and managing the primary Twitter account associated with it. Additionally, another individual was arrested in Odisha in connection with the case, bringing the total number of arrests to five.

The accused applied for bail but the magistrate court rejected their plea stating that the trio had committed serious acts of "defaming womanhood" and, therefore, in the larger interest of society the personal liberty of the accused can be curtailed. The following charges were framed on the five accused on the basis of the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

• Section 153A- Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.

• Section 153B- Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration

• Section 354A- Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment

• Section 509- Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman

On the basis of the Information Technology Act, 2000:

• Section 66D- Punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource

• Section 67- Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form

  
  

The accused again applied for bail in the Sessions Court and following thorough consideration of arguments from both sides, the Additional Session Judge released bail to three accused individuals namely, Aumkareshwar Thakur, Neeraj Bishnoi, and Neeraj Singh, upon the fulfilment of a personal bond worth 50,000 and one or two sureties of equivalent value. As part of their bail conditions, they are required to visit the Cyber Police Station monthly and are prohibited from leaving the country without prior court approval. Previously, the court also granted bail to three other implicated individuals namely: Shweta Singh, Mayank Rawat, and Vishal Jha.

It was shocking to see such youths of the country spreading hatred among different communities with the help of online applications. This made cyberspace a dangerous place especially for women. The development of the Bulli Bai application, which facilitated the generation and dissemination of derogatory material targeting women, not only promoted gender-based violence but also contributed to a climate of intimidation and harassment in online environments. This improper application of technology underscores the critical necessity for a deeper ethical and technological evaluation of digital platforms, as well as the establishment of robust legal structures to efficiently address cyber harassment.

This case highlights the inadequacy of existing legal systems and regulations in addressing online harassment and cyberbullying. While laws may exist to punish individuals for stalking, enforcement is often hindered by challenges such as jurisdictional issues and the anonymity afforded by digital platforms. This underscores the fundamental question of whether technology companies should play a role in preventing the misuse of their services, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between governments, civil society, and technology stakeholders to find effective solutions. It serves as a reminder for everyone to prioritize the safety and well-being of individuals in digital spaces, working towards creating a more inclusive and positive online environment.