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Updated June 18th, 2021 at 07:44 IST

Twitter India MD gets UP police notice over Ghaziabad incident FIR; summoned within 7 days

In a big development on Thursday, the Uttar Pradesh Police sent a notice to Twitter MD Manish Maheshwari in connection with the viral video of an elderly man.

Reported by: Akhil Oka
Twitter, Police
Image: AP/PTI/Pixabay | Image:self
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In a big development, the Uttar Pradesh Police has sent a notice to Twitter MD Manish Maheshwari in connection with the viral video of an elderly man. Trouble ensued after some prominent personalities claimed on Twitter that the man in question- Abdul Samad Saifi was not just assaulted with his beard being forcibly cut but also asked to chant slogans such as Jai Shri Ram. Calling them out for giving a communal spin to the incident, the police stressed that Twitter and Twitter India did not take any steps to remove the contentious tweets.

Thus, an FIR was registered at the Loni Border Police Station on June 15 against AltNews co-founder Muhammad Zubair, Congress leaders Maskoor Usmani, Salman Nizami and Shama Mohamed, journalists Saba Naqvi and Rana Ayyub, news publication The Wire, Twitter and Twitter India. They were booked under Sections 34 (common intention), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 153-A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion), 295-A (deliberate act to outrage religious feelings) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the IPC. A day later, SP leader Ummed Pahalwan Idrisi was slapped with an FIR over this incident.

As per the notice dated June 17 accessed by Republic TV, it has been issued under Section 160 of the CrPC which empowers a police officer to seek the attendance of any person before himself if he appears to be acquainted with the facts of the case. Maheshwari has been asked to appear in the Loni Border Police Station within a week's time to record his statement. This development comes just days after the social media giant lost its 'safe harbour' immunity implying that its top executives may face criminal action for third-party content. 

Here is the notice sent to the Twitter India MD: 

5 arrests in the case

Amid a flurry of reactions from political parties including AIMIM, the police issued a clarification on Tuesday. According to the Ghaziabad (Rural) SP Iraj Raja, it was established that the victim not only knew his attackers but also made amulets for them. He added that the accused reacted in such a manner after the amulets did not give positive results as promised by Abdul Samad Saifi. Assuring that the strictest possible action will be taken in this case, he mentioned that Parvesh, Kullu and Aadil have been taken into custody. 

On Wednesday, two more accused- Intezaar and Saddam alias Bauna were arrested in connection with this case. Also, the police stated that it will also take action against the complainant for providing some wrong facts. Meanwhile, Twitter refused to comment on being named in the FIR in this case. 

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Published June 18th, 2021 at 07:23 IST

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