PRAYAGRAJ: Allahabad High Court has expressed concern over the increasing number of cases of making pornographic videos of women viral. The court has considered it a serious threat to the society. Justice Ajay Bhanot’s bench made this remark while refusing to grant bail to the accused of rape and making pornographic video of the victim.
The court said that negligence is being shown in the investigation of IT related crimes. The court also refused to grant bail to Mange alias Ravindra. A case has been registered against the petitioner in Bulandshahr under section 376D, 506 IPC and section 5G/6 of the POCSO Act. He has been in jail since November 2023. The applicant is accused of rape and making pornographic video of the victim. Emphasizing the gravity of the crime, the court refused to grant bail to the applicant at this stage and rejected the bail application.
However, in the interest of justice and considering the nature of the crime, the court directed the trial court to complete the trial expeditiously within a year. The court said that the trial court should also be conscious of the rights of the accused. The court should take all necessary steps immediately to ensure the presence of witnesses. The court also directed that Senior Superintendent of Police, Bulandshahr should file an affidavit before the lower court on the scheduled date regarding the status of execution of warrant/summons issued by the lower court.
It was further directed that if the police officers fail to execute the warrant or take other measures then the Senior Superintendent of Police, Bulandshahr shall state the reasons in affidavit and show the steps taken to execute the warrant.The Court also observed that delay in executing warrants and consequent absence of witnesses is one of the major causes for delay in criminal trials and needs to be effectively addressed by all stakeholders.
The Court also directed the trial Court to examine whether the judgments of this Court in Bhanwar Singh alias Karamveer vs State of Uttar Pradesh as well as the directions issued in compliance thereof by the Director General of Police, Government of UP and the Home Secretary have been implemented or not and take appropriate action in accordance with law.
