The Madras High Court upheld cancellation of bail granted to an extortion accused, citing Instagram posts glorifying him as a 'king' and brandishing weapons, which created a real risk of witness tampering.
Madras HC denies bail over social media glorification
The Madras High Court has refused to restore bail to an accused in an extortion case, affirming the trial court's cancellation of interim release. Justice N Ramesh, presiding over the matter, held that the accused's conduct after release—particularly on social media—posed a tangible threat to the fairness of the investigation and trial.
The Court took note of Instagram posts made under the accused’s name, followed by thousands, where he was portrayed as the 'king' of Vellore and seen displaying a weapon-like object.
"Within months of his release (on bail) he is publicly projected... as the 'king' of Vellore, with imagery suggestive of power and control,"observed the Court, concluding that such actions could intimidate witnesses and erode public confidence in the justice system.
The ruling reaffirms that bail is not a one-time determination and may be reconsidered based on post-release conduct. Practitioners should anticipate closer scrutiny of the accused’s online presence during bail hearings, especially in cases involving organized crime or witness-sensitive investigations.
Citations
- Janny Vs State
