[Bulli Bai] Conduct of accused against secularism: Delhi Court denies anticipatory bail to Vishal Jha

The conduct of accused persons behind the Bulli Bai app is against the Constitutional ethos of secularism and fraternity that ensures modesty of women, a Delhi Court observed on Saturday while rejecting the anticipatory bail plea of accused Vishal Jha [Vishal Sudhirkumar Jha v. State]..Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana, said that the allegations pertaining to the Bulli Bai case are grave underlining that “it was a direct onslaught upon the dignity and modesty of the woman of a particular community.".On Friday, Judge Rana had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police to state the difference between the first information reports (FIRs) registered in Mumbai and Delhi in relation to the case. Besides, it had also enquired which FIR was registered first..The Court was today informed by the DCP that Delhi police had registered the FIR before the Mumbai police.Taking the submissions of both the prosecution and the defense counsel into consideration the Court noted that another accused Neeraj Bishnoi “in cahoots” with Jha and other co-accused persons had developed the “scandalous” Bulli Bai app..The order, thus, highlighted, “The conduct of the accused persons in the instant case is against the ever cherished Constitutional ethos of secularism and fraternity ensuring the dignity of any individual and modesty of a woman.”.Given the scenario the Court agreed with additional public prosecutor Irfan Ahmed that Jha’s sustained custodial interrogation was required..Jha, the first person to be arrested in the Bulli Bai case, is currently in judicial custody in Mumbai based on another FIR registered by Mumbai Police on the same issue.The Delhi Police had registered a separate first information report based on the complaint of journalist Ismat Ara, one of women targeted by the Bulli Bai app, for offences under Sections 153A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion etc), 153B (imputations prejudicial to national-integration), 354A (sexual harassment) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code.Jha sought the reprieve apprehending arrest by the Delhi Police, and argued in his plea filed through advocate Shivam Deshmukh that he was framed in the matter.“The creator of the Bulli Bai app is someone else who has already been arrested by the investigating agency,” the plea said..[Read Order]