The Rajasthan High Court has granted bail to a 19-year-old student, Akash, who was accused of circulating explicit material of a woman and harassing her on social media. The bail was issued with the strict condition that he is prohibited from using any social media platform for three years.
The case was heard by Justice Ashok Kumar Jain.
Details of the case and bail conditions:
- Offence: The 19-year-old college student was accused of creating multiple fake Instagram accounts to post sexually explicit material of a 23-year-old married woman. The charges included circulating obscene content and intimidating the victim.
- Conditional bail: To ensure the victim’s safety and prevent further harm, the court imposed several stringent conditions along with the warning of immediate cancellation if they were violated. The conditions included:
- A three-year ban on using any social media platform under any name or identity.
- A prohibition on contacting the victim or her family, either directly or indirectly.
- The permanent deletion of any existing photos or videos of the victim or her family from all of his devices and storage platforms.
- Court’s reasoning: The court decided to grant bail by considering the student’s young age and his lack of a prior criminal record. It also noted that the investigation was complete and the accused was not required for further custody. However, the bench also noted that the petitioner had used different mobile phones and Instagram IDs to commit the offence.
- Warning of cancellation: The court emphasized that if the accused violated any of the imposed conditions, his bail would be immediately canceled. This warning, as cited in several reports, reinforces the seriousness of the bail conditions and protects the victim.