News Analysis India

Tag: Manish Maheshwari

  • Twitter transfers India head Manish Maheshwari out of country, assigns him US-based role

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Twitter has transferred India head Manish Maheshwari, against whom an FIR was registered in Uttar Pradesh in connection with a probe related to a video of an alleged hate crime, to the US.

    While the company did not specify any reason for the change, it said Maheshwari will move to the US as Senior Director (Revenue Strategy and Operations) and focus on new markets in his new role.

    Twitter Vice President Japan and Asia Pacific Yu Sasamoto shared the development in a tweet.

    “Thank you to @manishm for your leadership of our Indian business over the past 2+ years. Congrats on your new US-based role in charge of revenue strategy and operations for new markets worldwide. Excited to see you lead this important growth opportunity for Twitter,” he said.

    ALSO READ | ‘Not a neutral, objective platform’: Rahul lashes out at Twitter day after Congress accounts get blocked

    When contacted, Twitter confirmed the development and said Maheshwari is “moving into a new role based in San Francisco as Senior Director, Revenue Strategy and Operations focused on New Market Entry”.

    The company did not disclose details around the succession plan after Maheshwari moves to the US.

    Before joining Twitter, Maheshwari was the CEO of Network18 Digital.

    He has also worked with organisations including Flipkart and P&G, among others.

    Twitter has been facing flak over the past many months for its various actions taken on tweets and accounts of high-profile users as well as delay in compliance with the IT rules that came into effect in May this year.

    ALSO READ | Received 120 grievances, ‘actioned’ 167 URLs during June 26-July 25: Twitter

    In June, an FIR was registered against Maheshwari and some others in connection with a probe related to a video of an alleged hate crime that went viral on social media.

    The US-based microblogging platform – which has an estimated 1.75 crore users in India – had courted controversy over the new social media rules, and the Indian government had confronted Twitter over deliberate defiance and failure to comply with the IT rules, despite repeated reminders.

    On August 10, the Centre had told the Delhi High Court that Twitter was ‘prima facie’ in compliance with the new IT rules by appointing a Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), Resident Grievance Officer (RGO) and Nodal Contact Person on permanent basis.

  • Twitter India can’t play hide and seek: UP police

    By Express News Service
    BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court will pass its order on July 13 on the petition filed by Twitter India Managing Director Manish Maheshwari seeking to quash the June 21 notice issued by the Uttar Pradesh police under Section 14-A of the CrPC in connection with a video uploaded allegedly to promote communal disharmony. Justice G Narendar said that he will dictate the order on Tuesday, after the arguments of the petitioner and the UP police concluded on Friday.

    Advocate P Prasanna Kumar, representing the UP police, argued that the petitioner was required to appear before the police for questioning and not before this court, which is not the territorial jurisdiction, as he claims to be the “country leader at Twitter” on various social platforms, including LinkedIn.  

    Kumar contended that the notice was issued to the petitioner in his capacity as MD of Twitter India and not as an individual. “The petitioner can’t play hide and seek when he has declared himself ‘country leader at Twitter’ and his registered office is in Mumbai. He has to appear before the police who have ample powers to question any person under Section 160 of the CrPC. Moreover, he has to approach the High Court in UP and not in Karnataka, which is not the territorial jurisdiction where the crime was registered,” he argued. 

    Before this, senior advocate C V Nagesh, representing the petitioner, argued that the notice issued to the petitioner lacks “sanction of law” and indicates that it is “an act of intimidation”. Vindictive action has been taken against the petitioner and his fundamental rights has been violated, he argued.

    He said that the petitioner was ready to appear before the police virtually. “Nothing prevented the police from questioning him virtually, but they did not do so even 10 days after this court passed the order to question him virtually, while restraining them from taking any coercive action. Is it their ego? Why do they not want to question him through video conference?” Nagesh said while reiterating that this court has jurisdiction to entertain the petition.

    HC directs State, BBMP to look into immunisation for kids of labourers

    Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Friday directed the State government and the BBMP to look into the issue of regular immunisation for children of migrant and construction workers. A special division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar passed the order after going through the report of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA), which indicates that such children are more vulnerable to health issues during the pandemic because they are deprived of vaccines like BCG. 

  • Twitter India MD Manish Maheshwari seeks quashing of police notice asking him to appear in person

    By PTI
    BENGALURU: Twitter India Managing Director Manish Maheshwari on Thursday sought the quashing of a notice issued by the Uttar Pradesh police seeking his physical presence in connection with a case registered for uploading and circulating a “communal sensitive” video on the platform.

    Appearing on behalf of Maheshwari before the single bench of Justice G Narendar in the Karnataka High Court, his counsel CV Nagesh contended that the notice under Section 41 -A of the CrPC was issued “without jurisdiction, without the sanction of law”.

    He claimed that the first notice was issued on June 17 under Section 160 of the CrPC. The legal obligation under Section 160 of the CrPC is based upon a person who resides at a place which is located within the territorial jurisdiction of the police station where the crime is registered, the counsel argued.

    After the notice under Section 160 was issued, Maheshwari told the investigators that he did not know anything about the issue, Nagesh said. He added that even if Maheshwari appeared before them in person, the reply would be the same. “The IO (investigating officer) was not satisfied because there was a hidden agenda. Then what he (IO) did is, he invoked the powers under Section 41-A of the CrPC, which is not right,” he alleged.

    “Law does not empower him (the IO) to do so. It is an act which has been done without the sanction of law,” the counsel argued. The Twitter MD resides in Bengaluru, and his office is located in the city, Nagesh pointed out.

    Maheshwari had earlier indicated that he was prepared to cooperate with the investigation through video conference. The case has been posted for further hearing on Friday. The Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) police issued the notice under Section 41-A of the CrPC on June 21 asking him to report at the Loni Border police station at 10:30 AM on June 24.

    Maheshwari then approached the Karnataka High Court as he lives in Bengaluru in Karnataka. On June 24, the High Court, in an interim order, restrained the Ghaziabad police from initiating any coercive action against him.

    Justice Narendar had also maintained that if the police wanted to examine him, they could do so through virtual mode. The Ghaziabad Police on June 15 booked Twitter Inc, Twitter Communications India Pvt.Ltd.

    (Twitter India), news website The Wire, journalists Mohammed Zubair and Rana Ayyub, besides Congress leaders Salman Nizami, Maskoor Usmani, Shama Mohamed and writer Saba Naqvi. They were booked over the circulation of a video in which an elderly man, Abdul Shamad Saifi, alleges he was thrashed by some young men who also asked him to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on June five.

    According to police, the video was shared to cause communal unrest.

  • Twitter vs Uttar Pradesh police: Karnataka HC adjourns proceedings

    By PTI
    BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday adjourned to July 5, the proceedings in a matter pertaining to Twitter India MD Manish Maheshwari and the Ghaziabad police, which had summoned him in a probe related to the assault of an elderly Muslim man in the UP town recently.

    Advocate P Prasanna Kumar, who appeared for the Uttar Pradesh police, sought adjournment following which the single bench of Justice G Narendar who is hearing the matter posted it for July 5.

    Maheshwari, who lives in Bengaluru in Karnataka, was issued notice by the Ghaziabad Police earlier, asking him to report at its Loni Border police station on June 24 to get his statement recorded in the case, following which he moved the High Court here seeking relief.

    The court had then restrained the Ghaziabad police from initiating any coercive action against him. Justice Narendar had also maintained if the police wanted to examine Maheswhari, they could do so through virtual mode.

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

    The Ghaziabad Police had on June 15 lodged an FIR against Twitter Inc, Twitter Communications India, news website The Wire, journalists Mohammad Zubair and Rana Ayyub, Congress’ Salman Nizami, Masqoor Usmani, Dr Sama Mohammad and writer Saba Naqvi for sharing the clip.

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

  • Ghaziabad assault case: Twitter India MD expected to join probe

    By PTI
    GHAZIABAD: Twitter India’s Managing Director Manish Maheshwari is expected to appear in person before the Ghaziabad Police on Thursday in connection with a probe related to the assault of an elderly Muslim man here recently, officials said.

    The Twitter India MD, who lives in Bengaluru in Karnataka, was issued notice by the Ghaziabad Police on June 21 and asked to report at its Loni Border police station at 10.30 am on Thursday to get his statement recorded in the case, the officials added.

    “He did not reach the police station at the given time and is expected to reach here by noon,” Circle Officer (Loni), Atul Kumar Sonkar, told PTI.

    The Ghaziabad Police had on June 15 booked Twitter Inc, Twitter Communications India, news website The Wire, journalists Mohammed Zubair and Rana Ayyub, besides Congress leaders Salman Nizami, Maskoor Usmani, Shama Mohamed and writer Saba Naqvi.

    They were booked over the circulation of a video in which the elderly man, Abdul Shamad Saifi, claims he was allegedly thrashed by some young men who also asked him to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on June 5.

    The police claim the video was shared to cause communal unrest.G

  • Ghaziabad assault video case: Twitter India MD wants to join probe virtually

    By PTI
    GHAZIABAD: The Twitter India managing director has offered to join through video conference the Ghaziabad police probe into the circulation of a communally sensitive video clip of an elderly Muslim man on the social media platform, officials said on Monday.

    Managing Director Manish Maheshwari, who lives in Bengaluru in Karnataka, was issued notice by the Ghaziabad police on June 17 and asked to report at its Loni Border police station within seven days to get his statement recorded in the case, the officials added.

    “The Twitter India MD has responded and offered to join the probe via video call for the time being. He has assured of his cooperation with the police,” Superintendent of Police (Ghaziabad Rural) Iraj Raja said.

    ALSO READ | Ghaziabad assault video: Complaint against Twitter officials, Swara Bhaskar, journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani

    “Twitter India officials have also provided the police with some information and clarifications on the issue. In light of this information, we are going to send another notice to relevant officials of Twitter India,” Raja said.

    The Ghaziabad police is yet to take a call on Maheshwari’s response on joining the probe through video conference, the officer said.

    The Ghaziabad police has so far issued notices to Twitter India and news website The Wire in the case in which some journalists and opposition Congress politicians have been accused of sharing the video with an intention to provoke communal unrest.

  • UP Police send legal notice to Twitter India MD over Ghaziabad assault video

    By ANI
    GHAZIABAD: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday sent a legal notice to the Managing Director of Twitter India Manish Maheshwari regarding the viral video of the assault on an elderly man in Loni. The MD has been asked to record his statement after the microblogging site “let the anti-social messages go viral”.

    According to the legal notice, the managing director has been asked to come to the Police Station Loni Border and record the statement over the matter within seven days.

    “Some people used their Twitter handle as a tool to spread hatred in the society and Twitter Communication India and Twitter Inc did not take any action against it. They let the anti-social messages go viral,” the notice sent to the managing director read.

    ALSO READ | SP worker booked over ‘communal’ video, FIR says Facebook didn’t fact-check clip

    This comes after Twitter lost its status as an intermediary platform in India as it does not comply with new IT rules. According to the sources, Twitter is the only social media platform among the mainstream that has not adhered to the new laws.

    Now, instead of being considered just a platform hosting content from various users, Twitter will be held directly editorially responsible for posts published on its platform.

    The implication of this development is that if there is any charge against Twitter for alleged unlawful content it would be treated as a publisher – not an intermediary – and be liable for punishment under any law, including IT Act, as also the penal laws of the country, sources stated.

    Earlier, a senior-level team of Delhi Police’s Special Cell questioned the Twitter India managing director Manish Maheshwari at Bengaluru over the ‘Congress toolkit case’ matter on May 31.

    The Delhi Police had earlier sent a notice to Twitter, seeking an explanation from the microblogging platform to explain the rationale and share all the information on how it described the toolkit as manipulated media.

    The police had also visited the Twitter India offices in Lado Sarai, Delhi and Gurgaon on May 24 with the notice over the tagging some of the posts on an alleged Congress “toolkit” against the Central government, as “manipulated media”.

    The Uttar Pradesh Police had confirmed that there is no communal angle in the incident in Loni and arrested five accused of assaulting the 72-year-old man. The police also stated that action would also be taken against the complainant for providing wrong facts.

    The UP Police on Tuesday filed FIR against nine entities, including Twitter India in connection with the Loni incident.

    In the FIR, the Police had said, “There is no communal angle to the incident in Loni where a man was thrashed and his beard was chopped off. The following entities — The Wire, Rana Ayyub, Mohammad Zubair, Dr Shama Mohammed, Saba Naqvi, Maskoor Usmani, Salman Nizami — without checking the fact, started giving communal colour to the incident on Twitter and suddenly they started spreading messages to disrupt the peace and bring differences between the religious communities.”

  • UP Police sends legal notice to Twitter India MD over Ghaziabad assault video incident

    By ANI
    GHAZIABAD: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday sent a legal notice to the Managing Director of Twitter India Manish Maheshwari regarding the viral video of the assault on an elderly man in Loni. The MD has been asked to record his statement after the microblogging site “let the anti-social messages go viral”.

    According to the legal notice, the managing director has been asked to come to the Police Station Loni Border and record the statement over the matter within seven days.

    “Some people used their Twitter handle as a tool to spread hatred in the society and Twitter Communication India and Twitter Inc did not take any action against it. They let the anti-social messages go viral,” the notice sent to the managing director read.

    ALSO READ | SP worker booked over ‘communal’ video, FIR says Facebook didn’t fact-check clip

    This comes after when Twitter has lost its status as an intermediary platform in India as it does not comply with new IT rules. According to the sources, Twitter is the only social media platform among the mainstream that has not adhered to the new laws.

    Now, instead of being considered just a platform hosting content from various users, Twitter will be held directly editorially responsible for posts published on its platform.

    The implication of this development is that if there is any charge against Twitter for alleged unlawful content it would be treated as a publisher – not an intermediary – and be liable for punishment under any law, including IT Act, as also the penal laws of the country, sources stated.

    Earlier, a senior-level team of Delhi Police’s Special Cell questioned the Twitter India managing director Manish Maheshwari at Bengaluru over the ‘Congress toolkit case’ matter on May 31.

    The Delhi Police had earlier sent a notice to Twitter, seeking an explanation from the microblogging platform to explain the rationale and share all the information on how it described the toolkit as manipulated media.

    The police had also visited the Twitter India offices in Lado Sarai, Delhi and Gurgaon on May 24 with the notice over the tagging some of the posts on an alleged Congress “toolkit” against the Central government, as “manipulated media”.

    The Uttar Pradesh Police had confirmed that there is no communal angle in the incident in Loni and arrested five accused of assaulting the 72-year-old man. The police also stated that action would also be taken against the complainant for providing wrong facts.

    The UP Police on Tuesday filed FIR against nine entities, including Twitter India in connection with the Loni incident.

    In the FIR, the Police had said, “There is no communal angle to the incident in Loni where a man was thrashed and his beard was chopped off. The following entities — The Wire, Rana Ayyub, Mohammad Zubair, Dr Shama Mohammed, Saba Naqvi, Maskoor Usmani, Salman Nizami — without checking the fact, started giving communal colour to the incident on Twitter and suddenly they started spreading messages to disrupt the peace and bring differences between the religious communities.”