Storing and circulating indecent videos…. Man accused of rape refused bail by Allahabad High Court

While observing that storing and circulating indecent videos of women becoming a serious menace in society, the Allahabad High Court refused to grant bail to a person who is accused of committing rape and capturing indecent videos of the victim.

Justice Ajay Bhanot, while emphasising the severity of the offence found it inappropriate to grant bail to the applicant –Mange alias Ravindra at this stage.

The court made these observations while refusing bail to Mange alias Ravindra, who has been booked under sections 376D (gang rape), 506 IPC and sections 5G/6 of the prevention of children from sexual offences (POCSO) Act at police station – Khurja Nagar of Bulandsahar district. He has been in jail since November 2023.

The court also said that the poor quality of investigations into IT-related offences and cyber offences is becoming a “major fault line” in the functioning of investigations. “The court has voiced its concern time and again. The court had also issued directions to ensure that both the systemic inadequacies are addressed by the police authorities, namely, the failure to proper investigate the cyber crimes and poor supervision over the investigations”, the court added.

However, in the interest of justice and considering the nature of the offence, the court directed the trial court to conclude the trial expeditiously, preferably within one year.

In its order dated May 9, the court directed the registry of this court to send a copy of this order to the government advocate for placing the same to the director general of police (DGP), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.