Can't allow Police to peep into private life of accused on bail, says Supreme Court [8.7.2024]

The Supreme Court on Monday said there cannot be a bail condition which allows the police to peep into the private life of an accused in a criminal case.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan set aside a bail condition imposed by the Delhi High Court requiring a Nigerian national to share the Google Maps pin in his mobile device with the investigating officer in a drugs case.

Justice Oka, pronouncing the verdict said, "There cannot be a bail condition defeating the very objective of bail itself. We have said Google pin cannot be a bail condition. There can't be a bail condition enabling the police to constantly track the movement of the accused. Police cannot be allowed to peep into the private life of the accused on bail."
The court pronounced the verdict on a plea of Frank Vitus, a Nigerian national challenging the bail condition in a drugs case.

On April 29, the top court had reserved its verdict said it would examine whether one of the conditions imposed by the Delhi High Court asking an accused to "drop a Google pin" from his mobile phone to enable investigators to track his movement while on bail violated the fundamental right to privacy.


08 Jul 2024