Amid the ongoing spat between the Centre and Twitter over the new IT rules, a team of Delhi Police’s Special Cell visited Bengaluru to question Manish Maheshwari, MD of Twitter India. The team quizzed Maheshwari on May 31 in connection with the ‘Congress toolkit’ allegations. It may be recalled that BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had shared some documents on Twitter alleging them to be toolkits prepared by Congress to defame the Modi government. The documents pertained to the COVID-19 handling by the central government and the Central Vista project. The Congress had then filed FIRs in Delhi and Chhattisgarh against the BJP.
The Delhi Police has summoned Twitter officials, Congress party’s social media head Rohan Gupta and spokesperson M V Rajeev Gowda, who had filed the complaint. The police are yet to call BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra for questioning.
According to reports, a senior police officer said the special cell had approached Maheshwari days after visiting Twitter India’s Delhi and Gurgaon office to serve a notice in the case. A notice was sent to Maheshwari to join the investigation and he communicated back informing the police to come to Bengaluru. Following this, two inspectors, along with a senior officer, went there to question him.
An Indian Express report stated that Maheshwari was asked about the type of information Twitter has about the toolkit that enabled them to give the ‘manipulated media’ label to posts by certain leaders.
As of now, the police are conducting a preliminary inquiry before registering any FIR. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra is also likely to be summoned for questioning.
Congress spokesperson M V Rajeev Gowda had expressed dissatisfaction over the probe by the Delhi Police. He said that they had conveyed to the Delhi Police that they will pursue the complaint in Chhattisgarh as the progress has not been satisfactory in Delhi.
