Twitter to Delhi HC: Rahul Gandhi's tweet deleted, account locked as it violates policy

The controversy around senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's tweet posting a photograph of the parents of a nine-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped and killed in Delhi, does not seem to die down soon. Twitter on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that it has deleted the tweet since it was in violation of its policy.

This was in response to a petition seeking legal action including registration of an FIR against Rahul Gandhi for posting the photograph as it was said to be a violation of Section 74 of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and Section 23(2) of the POCSO Act, which mandates the identity of a child victim shall not be disclosed. The nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed at a crematorium in Southwest Delhi on August 1.

Senior Advocate Sajan Poovayya, representing Twitter also told the Delhi High Court that the senior Congress leader's account has been locked. To this, the Division Bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyot Singh said 'so nice of you', saying they had responded immediately.

The case has been listed for September 23. The High Court has asked the counsels representing Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Police, and other respondents to remain ready with submissions of one page or two on the case. Senior Advocate R S Cheema is representing Rahul Gandhi in the case.

On the other hand, the court has rejected the demand made by advocate Gautam Jha, representing the petitioner Makarand Suresh Mhadlekar, a social activist that Twitter needs to put on record via an affidavit that it has deleted the tweet of Rahul Gandhi.

After the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights issued a notice and asked Twitter to remove the tweet in question, Rahul Gandhi's account was temporarily locked last week.