Mumbai court discharges man in Bulli Bai case, cites lack of evidence

A Mumbai court has discharged a 25-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the online “auction” of Muslim women, observing that there was insufficient evidence to establish his involvement in creating the app or circulating the victims’ photographs, The Indian Express reported.

The case relates to the Bulli Bai app, which displayed photographs of more than 100 Muslim women along with derogatory comments in January 2022. The incident was the second of its kind in less than a year. In July 2021, photographs of nearly 80 Muslim women had been uploaded to another platform, Sulli Deals, and presented as being available for sale.

Vishal Jha, who was an engineering student at an institute in Bengaluru when he was arrested, was accused of being involved in the creation of the Bulli Bai app.

The Mumbai Police cyber cell had registered a case under provisions of the Indian Penal Code related to promoting enmity between groups, deliberately outraging religious sentiments, stalking, defamation and insulting the modesty of a woman. Provisions of the Information Technology Act were also invoked.

Jha’s lawyer argued that the only allegation against him in the chargesheet was that he had followed the app and shared it.

The court observed that merely following the app did not amount to an offence. It also noted that although Jha had been in contact with some of the co-accused, this fact alone did not establish his involvement in creating the platform or uploading the photographs.

The court therefore discharged Jha, citing the absence of evidence linking him to the alleged offences.