Journalist accuses Twitter of stealing his concept of special tick for heads of state

A city-based journalist has filed a complaint of cheating against Twitter and its owner Elon Musk, accusing them of stealing his concept of a new label or `tick’ for the accounts of prominent personalities including heads of state.

Twitter assigns a blue tick to ordinary verified accounts, but those of prominent personalities — such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi or US President Joe Biden — get a brown tick.

In his complaint filed before a magistrate’s court in suburban Andheri, journalist Rupesh Singh sought action under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and the Copyright Act.