Delhi Police registers FIR against unknown creators of Sulli Deals, sends notice to GitHub

On Thursday, the cyber cell of Delhi Police registered a First Information report (FIR) against unknown persons who posted the code for now defunct website Sullideals.com on Microsoft backed code hosting platform GitHub, said multiple media reports.

The FIR was registered days after media reports surfaced that photographs and social media handles of over 90 Indian Muslim women were posted on the app which suggested they were being “auctioned.”

The National Commission for Women on Thursday took cognizance of the issue and wrote to Balaji Srivastava, commissioner of police, Delhi, with a copy to deputy commissioner of police, cyber crime to file and FIR and investigate the matter. The NCW also sought a response on action taken within 10 days.

@NCWIndia has taken cognizance of the matter. Chairperson @sharmarekha has written to @CPDelhi for investigation & filing of FIR in the matter. Action taken has to be informed to NCW within 10 days. Copy of the letter has also been sent to DCP Cyber Crime.https://t.co/KGR4XrmyuA

— NCW (@NCWIndia) July 8, 2021

Separately, the Delhi Commission for Women also took suo-moto cognizance of the media reports stating that pictures and details of hundreds of Indian Muslim women were posted on the app and sought a detailed action taken report from the deputy commissioner of police at Cyber Preventation Awareness Detection in Delhi apart from registering an FIR for the same.

Issued Notice to Police on a very serious matter of cyber crime where pictures of several Muslim women were displayed online without their consent and termed as ‘Sulli Deal of the day’. FIR should be registered and strong action should be taken. #SulliDeals pic.twitter.com/MyvKGTsvJ1

— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) July 7, 2021

The incidence of cyber abuse first surfaced on Monday when media reports captured posts by affected women on social media platform who posted their pictures stolen from their social media accounts and posted on the offending app.

One of the affected women and commercial pilot Hana Mohsin Khan posted a copy of the FIR filed by her on social media platform Twitter as well.

Filed an FIR.
I’m resolute and firm in getting these cowards to pay for what they have done.
These repeat offences will not be taken sitting down.
Do your worse. I will do mine.
I am a non-political account targeted because of my religion and gender.#sullideals pic.twitter.com/mvt20VWPqp

— Hana Mohsin Khan (@girlpilot_) July 7, 2021

GitHub which claims to have 5.8 million Indian contributors on its platform falls under the definition of a significant social media intermediary according to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.