UP POLICE BOOK TWITTER INDIA CHIEF FOR FAULTY J&K, LADAKH MAP

MEERUT/LUCKNOW: Bulandshahr Police registered a first information report (FIR) against officials of Twitter India after the micro-blogging site showed a distorted map of India with Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh outside the country, officials familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

The case against Twitter India managing director Manish Maheshwari and India head Amrita Tripathi was registered at Khurja Nagar police station on Monday evening on the basis of a complaint by an advocate and office-bearer of Bajrang Dal, Praveen Bhati, Bulandshahr senior superintendent of police (SSP) SK Singh said.

The FIR was registered under section 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code and section 74 of the IT (Amendment) Act, 2008.

In his complaint, Bhati said that he came across the distorted map on Monday while browsing the micro-blogging site, circle officer of Khurja Nagar, Suresh Kumar, said.

“Their act was meant to hurt the sentiments of the countrymen. Moreover, it seems to be a deliberate act to mislead the world,” the complaint read.

The map was available as part of a larger creative image

depicting the world map on the company’s website under the careers sections on the page titled Tweep Life. While it showed the disputed Aksai Chin area of Ladakh, illegally occupied by China, as part of that country, it depicted the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as a separate country. The map was subsequently taken down on Monday evening.

The misrepresentation had caused an uproar online amid the ongoing impasse between the government and the microblogging firm.

Kumar said notices will be sent to the accused and a further probe is underway.

WHILE TWITTER SHOWED THE AKSAI CHIN AREA OF LADAKH AS PART OF CHINA, IT DEPICTED THE UT OF JAMMU & KASHMIR AS A SEPARATE COUNTRY