Allahabad High Court Denies Bail to Student Accused of Blackmailing his Classmate

While rejecting the bail plea by a student accused of blackmailing and threatening his classmate after hacking her social media accounts, the Court observed that there is a rise in crimes committed using technology, particularly against women. 

FIR registered against the accused under sections 386 and 354A of the Indian Penal Code 

An FIR was registered against the accused for committing offences under Sections 386 and 354A of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66-C of Information Technology Act. According to the FIR, the accused and the prosecutrix were studying in Nalanda Sikshan Sansthan. 

The allegations  

The accused hacked his classmate's Instagram and Snapchat accounts. After hacking them he sent obscene and objectionable messages from these accounts to other boys. The accused also started sending the prosecutrix dirty and obscene messages. He blackmailed her to lodge a case against her family members and threatened to kill her younger brother in an accident if she did not give him Rs 2 Lakhs.  

Court’s remarks 

Noting the allegations Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh could not help and remarked, 

"There is a rise in crime of this nature in society. The technology is being misused to commit the offence, particularly against the women. The accused-applicant is accused of destroying and disrupting young life. He has been threatening and blackmailing the prosecutrix."

 While declining to grant bail, he stated,  

"Considering the heinousness of the offence and the involvement of the accused-applicant, I do not find any ground to release the accused applicant on bail at this stage when the trial is yet to commence and the prosecutrix is yet to be examined in the case."