Mumbai court grants bail to Clubhouse app case accused

It was alleged that derogatory remarks were made against women through the mobile application

A Mumbai court on Thursday granted bail to Akash Suyal, 18, from Karnal, an accused in the Clubhouse app case. Clubhouse is a mobile application which has a group for discussion called Chat Room where objectionable and derogatory remarks were made against women.

He was arrested on January 21 with two other accused — Jaishnav Kakkar, 21, and Yash Parashar, 22, both from Faridabad. Mr. Suyal has completed Class 12.

On January 19, 2022 a complaint was lodged by a woman at the cyber police station, following which an FIR was registered. It was alleged that the participants of the Clubhouse chats had used objectionable remarks against women and her photographs were also circulated.

All three were booked under Sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), 195 (A) (threatening a person to give false evidence), 354 (A) (sexual harassment), 354 (D) (stalking), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Indian Technology Act.

On February 1, a magistrate court granted bail to Mr. Parashar and directed him to undergo counselling for general social behaviour and for following netiquettes (norms of behaviour while using social media and other online platforms).

The order mentioned, "It is necessary to mention that this court and everybody coming across various cases found that irresponsible use of social media is rampant. The people and particularly young generation in their teenage ignoring etiquettes and mannerisms insulting every member of the society and every corner of social life including religion, race, gender etc. The immediate attention towards this aspect is necessary unless there will be havoc and situation may go out of control as everybody across the world have access to it and majority of them may attempt to react on their own way ignoring the social norms and morality. The manner of collection of evidence by way of investigation is not in tune with the pace of time.”