'Statement Designed To Impede Lawful Inquiry': Delhi Police's Strong-Worded Counter To Twitter

Stating Twitter declared that the toolkit was ‘manipulated media’, the Delhi Police said this clearly shows that it was acquainted with the facts of the case and had material information relevant to the probe.

New Delhi: The Delhi Police, which raided Twitter India’s offices in the national capital and Gurugram in connection with its probe in the toolkit case, on Thursday said the preliminary inquiry was registered on the complaint filed by a representative of the Indian National Congress, adding hence efforts by Twitter to portray it as an FIR filed at the behest of the Government of India is wholly and completely incorrect.

“We have come across press reports that quote Twitter Inc. statements pertaining to the ongoing inquiry by us. Prima facie, these statements are not only mendacious but designed to impede a lawful inquiry by a private enterprise,” said the Delhi Police

Stating Twitter declared that the toolkit was ‘manipulated media’, the Delhi Police said this clearly shows that it was acquainted with the facts of the case and had material information relevant to the probe.

“Hence, Twitter was asked to join the inquiry to provide the information it possesses,” added the Delhi Police.

The Delhi Police further said Twitter’s latest statements are “devised to seek dubious sympathy when they themselves not only refuse to comply with the law of the land but also claim possession of material evidence but refuse to share it with legal authority duly recognized”.

The response came as Twitter earlier without directly referring to the Delhi Police action said it was worried about the safety of its staff in India.

“Concerned by recent events regarding our employees in India & potential threat to freedom of expression for people we serve. We've concerns with regards to intimidation police's tactics in response to enforcement of global Terms of Service & core elements of new IT Rules,” ANI quoted a Twitter spokesman as saying in a statement.

“We, alongside many in civil society in India and around the world, have concerns with regards to the use of intimidation tactics by the police in response to enforcement of our global Terms of Service,” the spokesman added.

The Delhi Police had earlier on Monday visited the Twitter offices to serve a notice to Twitter's India head for tagging a tweet of BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra as “manipulated media”.

The Indian government had earlier objected to Twitter for flagging the BJP leader’s tweet on the alleged Congress 'toolkit' that was claimed to be targetting the Centre over its Covid-19 handling.