The Rajasthan High Court recently directed a 20-year-old man accused of child sexual harassment and online stalking to stay away from all social media platforms for a period of one year while granting him bail.
The single-judge Bench of Justice Ashok Kumar Jain banned the petitioner from using any social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Threads and ShareChat for one year. The Court warned that if he is caught using any platform under his own name or a fake identity, via his own or a fictitious email and phone number, his bail would be immediately revoked.
The accused was arrested on February 24, 2026, by the Bikaner police in February this year under Sections 78(2) (online stalking) and 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 11 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Seeking bail, counsel for the accused argued that he had been falsely implicated in the case. It was submitted that the FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the father of the minor victim alleging sexual harassment, but apart from oral allegations, no substantive material had been placed on record to support the accusations.
After considering the material available and the nature of allegations, the Court observed that the accused had already remained in custody for a considerable period and that the trial was likely to take time to conclude. The Bench therefore found it appropriate to grant bail.
At the same time, the Court stressed the need to ensure the safety and well-being of the victim and imposed additional conditions restraining the accused from contacting the victim or her family in any manner.
The Court ordered the petitioner to stay completely away from the victim and her family, banning both direct and indirect contact. The judges specified that he is strictly prohibited from sending or forwarding messages across any communication platform, including Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, and WhatsApp.
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