New Delhi(PTI): The Delhi Police has sought details from the GitHub platform about the developer of the controversial ‘Bulli Bai’ mobile application and has written to Twitter for information about the account handler who first posted about the app, officials said on Monday.

The city police also asked Twitter to block and remove on the microblogging platform any “offensive content” shared from the ‘Bulli Bai’ app’, which had put up pictures of hundreds of Muslim women including prominent personalities for “auction”, they said.

After widespread outrage and demands for action against those behind the app, IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said on Sunday that the government is working with police in Delhi and Mumbai, where cases have been registered in the matter.

He also said that GitHub has blocked the user who had uploaded the app and that the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), the country’s nodal agency on cyber security, and police are coordinating further action in the matter.

The National Commission for Women had also written to the Delhi Police to expedite its action in the case related to the app to ensure that such crimes do not recur.

A senior police Delhi Police officer said on Monday, “As part of the ongoing probe into the matter, we have written to Twitter seeking information about the account handle who had first tweeted about the ‘Bulli Bai’ app.

“This is to know how the person concerned came across the alleged application which had offensive contents being written about women of a particular community.”

The police said they have also approached GitHub platform to share details about the developer of the ‘Bulli Bai’ application which is available on its platform to know the intention and purpose behind the creation of such an application and its whereabouts.

“We have also asked Twitter to remove and block any such offensive contents from its platform immediately which are shared through the alleged app and are related to the entire controversy,” he said.

The development comes after the Delhi Police on Saturday night registered an FIR against unknown persons for allegedly uploading a doctored picture of a woman journalist on a website.

The journalist had lodged an online complaint and shared a copy on Twitter.

The case was registered at the Cyber Police station of the southeast district on Saturday night, the police had said.

A senior police officer had said the case has been registered under sections 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 354 A (sexual harassment and punishment for harassment) of the Indian Penal Code on the complaint of the journalist alleging that she is being targeted by an unidentified group of people on “Bulli Bai” app.

The police said no arrests have been made in the case so far and a probe is underway.

Earlier in July, a case was registered by the Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police after it received a similar complaint about an unidentified group uploading photos of Muslim women on ‘Sulli Deals’ mobile application.

Police officials said an investigation is on in that matter too, but refused to elaborate.

Mangaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday detained one woman from Mastikatte, in Ullal over her suspected connections with terrorist organization ISIS.

The detained woman has been identified as Deepti Maarla alias Mariyam.

NIA reportedly detained her from her house in Mastikatte, Ullal on Monday morning and took her on a tempo traveler van. She was later taken to Wenlock District Hospital for a medical check-up and was produced before the court.

The NIA is reportedly trying to take her to New Delhi for further probe.

In August last year, a team of NIA officials had raided a house in Ullal and had arrested one person named Abdul Rahman after two days of scrutiny. During the course of the investigation, Deepati Maarla alias Maryam came under the scanner. She was initially let go after enquiry in August, following which she has now been detained by the agency.

NIA DSP Krishna Kumar led the team that included Police Inspector Ajay Kumar and Monica Dikwar were part of the operation.

Taipei (AP): A powerful earthquake struck Taiwan on Monday evening, shaking buildings in the capital and across much of the northern part of the island. There were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries.

The US Geological Survey said the quake measured magnitude 6.2 and was centered at a depth of 28.7 kilometers (18 miles) below the ocean east of Hualien city on the island’s east coast.

Walls creaked as office buildings shook in Taipei, the capital. Lights swayed and mirrors and pictures fell to the floor. The USGS said economic losses were expected to be low despite the strong shaking. (AP)

Lakhimpur Kheri: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, which claimed eight lives, has filed a chargesheet against 14 accused, including Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra.

The chargesheet was filed in the court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Chinta Ram on Monday.

In FIR number 219/2021 lodged with Tikunia Police Station, the SIT had identified and arrested 13 accused, including Ashish Mishra ‘Monu’, Ankit Das, Nandan Singh Bisht, Satyam Tripathi alias Satyam, Latif alias Kale, Shekhar Bharti, Sumit Jaiswal, Ashish Pandey, Lavkush Rana, Shishu Pal, Ullas Kumar alias Mohit Trivedi, Rinku Rana and Dharmendra Banjara.

On Monday, senior prosecution officer (SPO) S P Yadav told reporters that another accused Virendra Shukla’s name has been added in the chargesheet under section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of the Indian Penal Code.

However, Shukla is yet to be arrested. Yadav said the chargesheet against all 14 accused was filed in the court and the proceedings are on.

Violence had erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 last year when farmers were protesting the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to Mishra’s native place.

Four agitating farmers were run over by a vehicle while four others, including a journalist, two BJP workers were also killed in the violence that ensued.

Ajay Mishra is currently the MP from Kheri Lok Sabha seat.

NEW DELHI: If everything goes according to plan, the Ministry of Railways will move ahead with a proposal for the creation of four new high-speed rail corridors under the National Rail Plan in 2022 in order to link more cities like Guwahati, Jammu and Patna with other metros through high speed rail connectivity.

As of now, the railway ministry is already working on eight bullet train corridors, including the first between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

The 618km-long Hyderabad – Bangalore, 855 km -long Nagpur – Varanasi, 850km long Patna-Guwahati and 190 km long Amritsar-Pathankot-Jammu high-speed rail corridors are likely to be proposed under the National Rail Plan in 2022. In fact, the railway ministry is mulling over connecting all major cities of the country with high speed rail connectivity.

Sources further said that the sanctioned and proposed high speed rail corridors will run along the expressways and National Highways with beautiful greenery on either side of the railway tracks.

Work on the country’s first Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed bullet train corridor, covering a distance of 508.17-km to connect Mumbai with Ahmedabad, is in progress at the estimated cost of Rs. 1.1 lakh crore. The National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd. (NHSRCL) has prepared the DPR of the country’s first bullet train project from Mumbai to Ahmedabad.

The total number of high speed rail corridors will increase from 8 to 12 after a proposal for the four new corridors is moved in 2022.

Meanwhile, railway sources said that after the Mumbai – Ahmedabad high speed corridors, Detailed Project Report (DPRs) are being prepared on the approved Delhi – Varanasi, Delhi – Ahmedabad, Mumbai – Nagpur, Delhi – Amritsar, Mumbai – Hyderabad and Chennai – Mysore corridors.

Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik

Chandigarh: Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday said the Centre will have to work with honesty to withdraw cases registered against farmers during the agri laws protest and give a legal framework to MSP for crops.

The farmers’ agitation has only been suspended, and if there is any injustice, it will start again, he told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri where he was honoured by the Phogat Khap.

“The government will have to work with honesty to withdraw the cases against the farmers and give a legal framework (guarantee) on MSP. This is the government’s responsibility,” he said in response to a question.

“But if the government thinks the agitation has ended, it is not so. It has only been suspended. If there is injustice or if there are any excesses with farmers, then the stir will start again,” he added.

Taking advantage of the opportunity after the farm laws have been repealed, farmers should get decisions made in their favour such as a legal framework for MSP, Malik said.

On his remark that he was not scared of being asked to step down from his post, Malik said, “I am always with farmers.”

Appointed governor — in Jammu and Kashmir and Goa, before being posted to Meghalaya — during Narendra Modi’s term as prime minister, Malik has been taking swipes at the government.

On the loss of lives in a landslide at the Dadam mining site in Bhiwani, Malik said, “I am saddened by the deaths and injuries to people in the incident.”

There have been several instances of rules being violated in mining operations, he said, adding, “The incident should be probed, and if anyone is found guilty of any violation, action should be taken.”

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Sunday decided to conduct all hearings in virtual mode for two weeks starting from January 3, in view of rising number of cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The Supreme Court administration issued a circular announcing the decision on Sunday evening.

It stated that an earlier circular prescribing standard operating procedure (SOP) for physical hearing (hybrid hearing) will remain suspended for the time being.

“It is hereby notified for the information of the members of the bar, party-in-person and all concerned that keeping in view the rising number of cases of Omicron variant (COVID-19), the competent authority has been pleased to direct that modified Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) notified on October 7, 2021, for physical hearing (hybrid mode) will remain suspended for the present, and all hearings before the courts for a period of two weeks from and with effect from January 3, shall be through virtual mode only,” the circular read.

The top court is reopening on Monday after its winter vacation.

On October 7, 2021, it had issued an SOP stating matters that require lengthy hearings will be taken up on Wednesdays and Thursdays for physical hearing.

To avoid overcrowding on miscellaneous days like Mondays and Fridays, hearing of cases was done through virtual mode only, and on Tuesdays, it was through a hybrid mode.

The top court has been hearing cases through video-conferencing since March 2020 due to the pandemic. The October 7, 2021 SOP was issued after several bar bodies and lawyers demanded that physical hearings should be resumed immediately as there was a fall in coronavirus cases at that time.