New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) on Wednesday strongly condemned the "malicious, mischievous and reprehensible" act of creating, developing and hosting the "Bulli Bai" mobile application that allows users to participate in a false "auction" of hundreds of Muslim women, whose doctored photographs were uploaded on the app.
A resolution issued by the DHCBA said that at a virtual meeting of its executive committee, it had been unanimously resolved that the lawyers' body shall write to the Delhi police commissioner, demanding the registration of a first information report (FIR), and an efficient and expeditious investigation so that those found guilty of committing the "dastardly crime" are punished in accordance with law.
"It is resolved that the DHCBA unequivocally and in the strongest terms condemns the malicious, mischievous and reprehensible act of creating, developing and hosting of the app 'Bulli Bai', allowing the users to participate in a false auction of several respectable ladies," the resolution read.
It further said the act is not only tantamount to the commission of grave criminal offences but also targets and brings disrepute to the female citizenry.
DHCBA executive member advocate Naginder Benipal said, "I condemn this act as it is against the modesty of women and the government should take strict action against this."
The Mumbai police has lodged an FIR against unidentified people following complaints that doctored photographs of hundreds of Muslim women were uploaded for an "auction" on the "Bulli Bai" app, hosted on the open source software platform, GitHub.
The Mumbai police has arrested two people — a woman alleged to be the main culprit, and an engineering student — in connection with the case.
It said while there was no actual "auction" or "sale", the purpose of the app seemed to be to humiliate the targeted women, many of whom are active social media users.
The Mumbai cyber police station has also registered a case against the unidentified developers of the app and the Twitter handles that promoted it.