At war with Twitter, Delhi Police says its remarks seek dubious sympathy

Delhi Police on Thursday said that microblogging website Twitter’s statements are devices to seek dubious sympathy. It further added that the San Franciso-based company is purporting to be both investigating and adjudicating authority in the toolkit case.

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“Twitter statements devised to seek dubious sympathy when they refuse to comply with the law, share material evidence,” Delhi Police said.

This statement by Delhi Police comes hours after Twitter said that it is concerned about intimidation tactics used by the police.

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An official statement issued by Delhi Police PRO Chinmoy Biswal said, “Prima facie, these statements are not only mendacious but designed to impede a lawful inquiry by a private enterprise. Twitter Inc. has taken upon itself, in the garb of terms of service, to adjudicate the truth or otherwise of documents in public space.” According to the police statement, Twitter is purporting to be both investigating authority and adjudicating authority but has no legal sanction to be either.

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The only legal entity to investigate is the police and to adjudicate is the courts, the statement said. Delhi Police said that it has registered a preliminary inquiry in the toolkit case at the instance of a complaint filed by the representative of the Indian National Congress.

“Hence, the efforts by Twitter Inc. that portray that this as an FIR filed at the behest of the Government of India is wholly and completely incorrect,” it stated.

Delhi Police had conducted searches at its offices in Delhi and Gurgaon over its marking of tweets by BJP leaders as ‘manipulated media’.