Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has refused to grant bail to an accused involved in circulating obscene images of a woman on social media, observing that digital technology is changing the face of crime and posing a serious threat to societal morality.
Justice Ajay Bhanot, while rejecting the bail plea of a resident of Prayagraj, remarked that digital crime is not merely an attack on an individual’s dignity, but a new form of social assault that shakes the very conscience of society. The court held that such offences cause long-lasting damage to victims and thus do not merit leniency.
The case pertains to the Uttarav police station area, where the accused allegedly shared objectionable images of a woman from a nearby village on social media platforms. He has been in jail since January 9, 2025. According to the police, several images were recovered from the accused’s mobile phone and sent for forensic examination, although the FSL report is still pending.
Rejecting the bail application, the court said that circulation of obscene content online can turn a person’s life into a living hell, and therefore, such an accused is not entitled to relief. The bench further directed the trial court to conclude the hearing within a year and asked that the forensic report be submitted within two months.
To ensure timely justice, the High Court also instructed the trial court to take stringent steps to secure the presence of witnesses. It added that if in the future any accused is granted bail but deliberately delays or obstructs the trial, the trial court will have the authority to cancel the bail without seeking prior permission from the High Court.