📷 Image Credits: Indian Legal News
In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of India has reaffirmed the right to privacy by stating that it is not permissible for courts to order an accused to share their Google pin location with authorities as a condition for the grant of bail. This decision comes after a petition filed by a Nigerian national, Frank Vitus, who challenged the Delhi High Court’s order requiring him to drop a pin on Google Maps to track his location.
The Bench, comprising of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, emphasized that bail conditions cannot be ‘fanciful, arbitrary, or freakish’ and cannot defeat the purpose of bail itself. The court highlighted that imposing conditions that allow constant tracking of the accused would violate their right to privacy guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
The Supreme Court’s verdict comes in light of concerns raised over the intrusion into the private lives of individuals, especially when they are released on bail. The court stressed that the investigating agency should not be permitted to continuously monitor the accused by imposing arbitrary conditions as it would violate their privacy rights.
Moreover, the order clarified that bail conditions should only be imposed to the extent required by law and should not be so onerous as to hamper the order of bail. The Court also noted that Google pin sharing as a feature for bail was declared redundant since it does not provide real-time tracking capabilities.
This decision by the Supreme Court sets an important precedent in protecting the privacy rights of individuals, even when they are under legal scrutiny. By disallowing the sharing of Google pin locations as a bail condition, the court has reaffirmed the fundamental right to privacy enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
For more legal news and updates, stay connected with HeadlineFly.com for the latest developments.
