In strong-worded letters, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police has asked both Managing Director and Grievance Officer of Twitter India to appear at Loni (Ghaziabad) Border Police Station, failing which strict actions can be taken.
“I received your email dated June 18 which makes clear that you are trying to evade cooperating with the critical investigation. The clarification made by you is not appropriate in any way,” the Inspector in-charge, Loni Border wrote to Manish Maheshwari, MD of Twitter India.
The development comes after Maheshwari responded and offered to join a probe via video call for the time being, instead of physical presence. Maheshwari, who lives in Bengaluru, was issued a notice by the Ghaziabad Police on June 17, to report at the Loni Border police station within seven days to get his statement recorded in the case.
The Ghaziabad police is probing the case related to the circulation of an elderly Muslim man on the social media platform.
“It is our knowledge that as Twitter India MD you are the representative of Twitter in India, so you are bound by Indian laws to cooperate in this investigation,” the letters said. BusinessLine has seen both the letters.
Till now, the Ghaziabad police has issued notices to Twitter India and news website The Wire in the case in which some journalists and opposition Congress politicians have also been accused of sharing the video with an intention to provoke communal unrest.
“You have the power to decide which tweet being spread through Twitter India handle should be removed to maintain the security of the public and the State. The hateful tweet under question which was published on Twitter led to tensions in the society and enmity between various communities living in the state and country and threatened social cohesion,” the Inspector in-charge letter said.
Similar letter has been issued to Dharmendra Chatur, the Resident Grievance Officer (Interim) for Twitter India.
“Ghaziabad police had tweeted from its official Twitter account that the news under question is fake, and it was under your authority to stop this false information from spreading, but you failed to do so,” it added.