'Sulli Deals': Delhi Police Files FIR After App Misuses Muslim Women's Pics

The photos of Muslim women were displayed on 'Sulli Deals' – a GitHub app – without their consent.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

The Delhi Police Special Cell on Thursday, 8 July, registered an FIR against an unidentified group over the 'Sulli Deals' app controversy – where photos of Muslim women were displayed without their consent. 'Sulli' or 'Sulla' is a derogatory term used to refer to Muslims.

A case FIR under section 354-A of IPC has been registered and the investigation is underway, the police said.

The National Commission for Women on Thursday sought a detailed action taken report from the Delhi Police within 10 days.

(Photo: The Quint)

A day earlier, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), issued a notice to the Delhi Police seeking response by 12 July. The panel has asked for a copy of the FIR registered in the matter, details of the accused identified and arrested, and a report on action taken.

In a statement, the DCW said: "It has been reported that photos of hundreds of Muslim women and girls were uploaded by an unidentified group on an app using GitHub, by the name of 'Sulli Deals.' on 4 July."

What Happened?

The app came to light when people started sharing their 'deal of the day' on Twitter, but it has since been removed by GitHub.

"Once opened, the app would ask the user to click on 'Find your sulli deal of the day'. It would then randomly display a photo of a Muslim woman as your 'sulli deal of the day' – the photo most likely sourced from their social media account. I was shocked to see my face being right there, displayed as the deal of the day," Hana Mohsin Khan, a pilot by profession, told The Quint.

As a hosting platform, GitHub, among other things, allows users to create apps under personal or administrative names. You are also allowed to share or sell these apps in the GitHub marketplace. There is no clarity on who created the 'Sulli Deals' app yet.

Meanwhile, Khan, too, filed an FIR with the Delhi Police.

“I’m resolute and firm in getting these cowards to pay for what they have done,” she said in a tweet, adding, “These repeat offences will not be taken sitting down.”

Underlines Misogyny Against Muslim Women: Editors Guild Calls For Action

The Editors Guild of India on Wednesday said it was deeply concerned that images of Muslim women were put up “for auction” online and shared via social media in a denigrating manner.

“This vile attack is symptomatic of underlying misogyny in some sections of the society, especially against Muslim women as well as those who have been outspoken critics of the current government,” the Guild said in a statement.

“The Guild calls upon the law enforcement agencies as well as the National Commission for Women to take this issue with utmost urgency and to trace and punish the wrongdoers,” the statement added.

'Why No Outrage, Action?' Women Ask on Twitter

The DCW statement comes after women on Twitter pointed out that the government has not condemned the misuse of Muslim women's photos, with some adding that we cannot simply talk about empowering women when no arrest has been made in connection with the incident.

Some women pointed out that those who were amplifying the issue and calling for action were being targeted by right wing-affiliated accounts.