HC refuses to quash criminal proceedings against WhatsApp group admin for allegedly posting morphed pic of PM

Allahabad, March 2

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking quashing of criminal proceedings against the admin of a WhatsApp group in which a morphed picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allegedly posted.

The petitioner’s contention was that the message was not sent by him and he was only the group ‘admin’.

“No case against him was made out and the proceeding was liable to be quashed,” argued the petitioner’s counsel.

Justice Mohammad Aslam rejected the petition filed by Mohammad Imran Malik who was managing the WhatsApp group.

The Uttar Pradesh government counsel opposed the petition and said that liability of the sender of the message and that of the ‘group admin’ is co-extensive and it cannot be said no offence under Section 66 (computer related offences) of the IT Act was made out against the petitioner.

The court, while dismissing the petition, observed, “From the perusal of the record it appears that the applicant was a ‘group admin’ and he is also a co-extensive member of the group. In view of the above, I do not find any cogent reason to interfere.” PTI