Rajasthan HC Imposes 3-Year Social Media Ban as Bail Condition in POCSO Case

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Rajasthan HC Imposes 3-Year Social Media Ban as Bail Condition in POCSO Case

Summary:  

In a recent bail order, the Rajasthan High Court, Justice Ashok Kumar Jain, granted bail to a youth accused of morphing images of a minor and uploading them on social media to defame her.

Case Background:  

An FIR was registered against the applicant under relevant provisions of the BNS, POCSO Act, and Information Technology Act. The applicant had been in custody since April 2026 and argued he was young, had a friendship with the victim, and was ready to give an undertaking to not use social media.

Court's Observation & Order:  

Justice Jain held that given the nature of the alleged offence, it was appropriate to impose a ban on social media use for at least 3 years so the applicant learns not to misuse online platforms.

Bail Condition:  

“The applicant-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 and 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.”

Takeaway: Courts can impose social media bans as a bail condition in cyber offences involving minors to prevent further misuse.