'Ready To Appear Before UP Police, But...': Twitter India MD Puts Condition Before Karnataka HC

The Uttar Pradesh Police informed the court that it only wanted to question Maheshwari and did not intend to arrest him.

(Representative Image/Getty)

Bengaluru: Twitter India MD Manish Maheshwari on Tuesday told the Karnataka High Court that he was ready to appear before the Uttar Pradesh Police for questioning over tweets about the assault of a Muslim man in Ghaziabad provided they agreed to guarantee in writing that he would not be arrested.

He had approached the court last month after the Ghaziabad Police summoned him in a probe related to the assault of an elderly Muslim man.

The Uttar Pradesh Police informed the court that it only wanted to question Maheshwari and did not intend to arrest him.

“What’s the crux of the allegations? On Twitter, a doctored video was uploaded. Twitter India isn't connected with this incident. What is the allegation against it? There must be substance to say that Twitter India is capable of removing it,” ANI reported the judge as asking the Uttar Pradesh Police counsel.

“You are probing the company. To probe, you are required to identify the individual but if the entity isn't able to commit such action where's the point? This petition is nothing unless you can show he could have prevented it,” the High Court added.

The petition has been adjourned for hearing on Wednesday.

The Ghaziabad Police had earlier issued notice to Maheshwari and asked him to report at its Loni Border police station on June 24 to get his statement recorded in the case.

The Twitter India chief had then moved the High Court seeking relief.

The court had then restrained the Ghaziabad Police from initiating any coercive action against him.

The court had also maintained that the police could examine Maheshwari through virtual mode.

Abdul Shamad Saifi, an elderly Muslim man, had in a video clip, which surfaced on social media on June 14, alleged that he was thrashed by some young men and asked to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

The Ghaziabad Police had on June 15 lodged an FIR in this regard.

The police had ruled out communal angle in the incident and claimed the video was shared to cause communal unrest.