Madhya Pradesh police registers FIR against Twitter over distorted India map

BHOPAL: A day after an FIR by Uttar Pradesh police, Madhya Pradesh police too have registered a case against Twitter – naming its managing director of Twitter India Manish Maheshwari and others – for allegedly showing a distorted map of India on their website.


Home minister Narrottam Mishra said that it is a serious issue. “I have asked DGP to look into all possible angles and register a case on the matter for a thorough investigation,’ Mishra told reporters.

Subsequently, DGP Vivek Johri asked state cyber cell chief

Yogesh Chaudhary

for action.

FIR was registered by the state cyber cell headquarters on a complaint lodged by Durgesh Keswani, convenor of

NGO

Sadbhavna Adhikar Manch.

Earlier on Monday, Bulandshahr police had booked Twitter India managing director under Indian Penal Code section 505 (2) statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes). Charges under Information Technology Act section 74 (publication for fraudulent purpose) have also been invoked in the case, for showing a wrong map of India on its website. Case was registered at the Khurja Nagar police station on the basis of a complaint by an office-bearer of right-wing Bajrang Dal where Twitter India MD Manish Maheshwari and News Partnerships Head Amrita Tripathi have been named as accused, sources say.

However, Madhya Parades police have not invoked Section 74 of the IT (Amendment) Act 2008 IT Act in the matter. “Technically, this section is not applicable in the complaint but some other sections may be added later during investigations,” said a MP cyber cell officer.

The map showed Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh as a separate country. PM Modi recently began engagements with political parties in J&K nearly two years after the revocation of its special status under Article 370. The error had appeared on the career section of Twitter’s website under the header ‘Tweep Life’. The US digital giant has been engaged in a tussle with the Indian government over the new social media rules.

The government has slammed Twitter for deliberate defiance and failure to comply with the country's new IT rules, which has led to the microblogging platform losing its legal shield as an intermediary in India, and becoming liable for users posting any unlawful content.

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