Jodhpur/New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday granted bail to a man accused of morphing a minor girl’s photograph and uploading it on social media, while imposing stringent conditions, including a three-year ban on the use of online platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Thread and Snapchat.
A single-judge bench of Justice Ashok Kumar Jain of the Jodhpur bench passed the order while allowing the bail plea of the accused in a case registered at Bheem police station in Rajsamand district under Section 77 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The Rajasthan High Court directed that the accused “shall submit an affidavit/undertaking before the trial Court for not using social media platform, including Facebook, Instagram, Thread, Snapchat etc. for a period of three years”.
It further directed that “if it is found that the applicant-accused is using any of the social media platform in his own name or any fictitious name then his bail order may be recalled by the trial Court itself”.
The court order also restrained the accused from contacting the victim or any of her family members, directing that he “shall not contact directly or indirectly or message victim or any of her family member till the disposal of criminal case by the trial Court”.
According to the prosecution, the FIR was registered on February 12, 2026, on the basis of a complaint lodged by the mother of the minor victim regarding an incident alleged to have taken place between September 18 and October 16, 2025.
During the investigation, police arrested the accused and subsequently filed a charge sheet under Section 77 of the BNS, Sections 11 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and Section 67A of the Information Technology Act.
The court order records that the statement of the victim has already been recorded as Prosecution Witness-1 (PW-1), while the complainant’s statement has been recorded as PW-2 before the trial court.
During the hearing, counsel for the accused submitted that he had been falsely implicated in the case and that the investigation had been completed, making his further custodial interrogation unnecessary.
It was also said that the only allegation against the accused was that he had prepared a morphed picture of the victim and uploaded it on social media.
The defence also submitted that the accused had been in custody since April 2, 2026, and undertook not to use social media if the court was of the opinion that he had misused such platforms.
The defence also contended that the accused was a young person who had friendship with the victim and sought an opportunity for him “to correct himself”.
Opposing the plea, the complainant’s counsel and the Public Prosecutor submitted that the statement of the victim had already been recorded before the trial court.
After hearing the parties, the Rajasthan High Court said that “the allegation on present applicant-accused is to prepare a morphed picture so as to defame victim”.
“The applicant-accused has misused the social media, therefore, it is appropriate to restrict use of social media at least for three years so that he may learn a lesson not to misuse any online platform,” Justice Jain said.
In the court order, the judge further recorded that since the statements of the victim and the complainant had already been recorded, “there is no chance of any influence.”
The Rajasthan High Court said that the accused had remained in custody for a considerable period and that the trial was likely to take further time to conclude.
Granting bail, Justice Jain directed the accused to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 along with two sureties of the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial court.
Apart from the social media restriction, the court order also imposed conditions that the accused would not tamper with evidence, influence witnesses, indulge in criminal activity or repeat any offence punishable under law.
The Rajasthan High Court further directed the accused to remain present before the trial court on the dates fixed for hearing and clarified that any violation of the bail conditions would render the bail liable to be cancelled.
–IANS
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