The Delhi Police said it has arrested a man who is believed to be the creator of the “Sulli Deals” app. Aumkareshwar Thakur (26), has been arrested from Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Aumkareshwar Thakur is the first arrest made in the “Sulli Deals” app case by the Delhi police.
Accused Aumkareshwar Thakur finished his BCA from IPS Academy in Indore and resides at Newyork City Township, said the police.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (IFSO) KPS Malhotra, who had also announced the arrest of Bulli Bai deals app mastermind, said the Thakur has admitted that he is among a group on Twitter which defames and trolls the Muslim women.
“He had developed the code on GitHub. The access of GitHub was with all the members of the group. He had shared the app on his Twitter account. The photos of the Muslim women were uploaded by the group members,” the IFSOofficer said.
Investigation revealed that the Thakur had joined the Twitter group ‘Tradmahasabha’ in January 2020 with the handle @gangescion.
During various group discussions, the members discussed trolling Muslim women, the IFSO official said.
“He admitted that he had developed the code/app on GitHub. After the uproar regarding the Sulli Deals app, he had deleted all his social media footprints,” said the DCP.
As per Delhi Police, they are conducting further analysis of technical gadgets to locate the codes and images related to the Sulli Deals App.
Earlier in July 2021, the Delhi Police Cyber Cell received a complaint about an unknown group uploading and misrepresenting photos of Indian Muslim women on an app.
Aumkareshwar’s father Akhilesh Thakur said that two officers had taken Aumkareshwar with his laptop and phone. Later Aumkareshwar had called him to inform that he is being taken to Delhi. As per his father, Aumkareshwar is a web designer by profession & is being falsely accused. He said he will meet the officials in Delhi.
Delhi Commission for Women deadline
Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal had summoned the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime Cell, on January 3 and had demanded the early arrest of the culprits. The commission had sought a report from the Delhi Police on the list of people arrested in both the ‘Sulli Deal’ and ‘Bully Bye’ cases and action taken.
Sulli Deals App report had been filed in July 2021 and no action had been taken by the Delhi Police.
Delhi Police finally takes action
Delhi Police PRO, Chinmoy Biswal, had stated, “Acting on a complaint received on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal regarding ”Sulli Deals” mobile application, a case under section 354-A of the Indian Penal Code has been registered and investigation was taken up.”
Indore Police unaware
On Sunday, the Indore police stated that the Delhi Police had not shared any information with them over the arrest.
Speaking to PTI, Indore’s Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra stated “We have come to know only from the media about the arrest of Thakur from Indore by Delhi Police. The Delhi Police have not shared any official information with us in this regard so far.”
He also stated that the Indore police plans to begin an investigation soon after the Delhi Police shares with them the details of the case.
According to Delhi Police, Niraj Bishnoi (21) who was arrested from Assam for the Bulli Bai App case confessed during interrogation that he was in touch with the man behind the Twitter handle @sullideals, who was the alleged creator of the ”Sulli Deals” app hosted on GitHub in July last year.
Sulli Deals and Bully Bai apps
Bully Bai and Sulli Deals are Github applications where famous Muslim women were posted and bidden for them. Sulli Deals app created a nationwide outrage but the Delhi Police did not take any action other than filing an FIR. Bully Bai App followed and Priyanka Chaturvedi, an MP from Shiv Sena made it a national issue and Mumbai Police took the lead to arrest the culprits. This prompted Delhi Police to follow the suit.