As we start with 2022, a fresh controversy has come to fore; this time in the form of an app. An app named ‘Bulli Bai’ has become the talking point of many as it was being used to ‘auction’ Muslim women. Images of women, often doctored, were uploaded on the app without their consent. 

The targeted women, of different age groups, were vocal on political and social issues. Prominent journalists, activists, and lawyers were among those listed for 'auction' on the dreadful app.

This is happening all over again less than a year after ‘Sulli Deals’, a related app, in which a similar kind of display about Muslim women took place.

Following a major social media uproar against the app, the authorities had taken down the app. The app was hosted on GitHub, which has confirmed that it has blocked the user.

“GitHub confirmed blocking the user this morning itself. CERT and Police authorities are coordinating further action,” IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a tweet.

Fresh updates – two arrested

A case was registered against the app creators with Mumbai Police under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act.

Subsequently, the Mumbai police, on Tuesday (January 4) formally apprehended a 21-year-old student from Bengaluru. A senior Mumbai police official has confirmed that the student has been identified as Vishal, who is an engineering student studying in Bengaluru. 

The cyber cell has also detained one more person in connection with the case, a 21-year-old woman from Uttarakhand, who appears to be the main accused in the case, the police official added. She will be produced before Uttarakhand court for transit remand. The police have not revealed any more information about the two.

The two accused are friends on social media platforms. Hence, the links have been established. The woman was handling at least three accounts related to the app, while co-accused Vishal Kumar opened an account by the name of ‘Khalsa supremacist’, as reported by India Today.

Vishal Kumar was produced before Mumbai's Bandra Court by the police and the court has sent him to police custody till January 10. However, D. Prajapati, lawyer representing the accused, has claimed that his client is falsely implicated in this case.

A case has been registered by the Mumbai police department against the developers of the app on January 1 under sections 354-D (stalking of women), 500 (Punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and other sections of the Information Technology Act.