The Jharkhand High Court has expressed serious concern over a viral video involving a young woman survivor circulating online. The court criticized the police for not acting promptly to stop its spread on digital platforms. The Senior Superintendent of Police of Dhanbad appeared before the court, stating that an FIR has now been filed based on the survivor’s complaint.
The court, comprising Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Sanjay Prasad, exempted the SSP from future personal appearances and scheduled the next hearing for June 11. Strong displeasure was voiced by the bench regarding the police department’s handling of the matter. Immediate and effective steps should have been taken by the police once the objectionable video started circulating online to ensure its removal from social media and other platforms.
Despite the viral video originating from Gujarat and not Jharkhand, the court emphasized that local police should have taken action to prevent further circulation. The High Court directed the Dhanbad SSP to expedite the investigation and submit a detailed status report before the next hearing. The case involves Ravi Saw, who had previously obtained bail in a criminal case from the High Court. The survivor sought cancellation of his bail, alleging that he resumed unlawful activities and caused her mental harassment by circulating her video online.
The survivor had filed a complaint with the cyber police regarding the misuse and circulation of the video through digital platforms. In an earlier hearing, the High Court had criticized the Dhanbad police for not registering an FIR despite the complaint disclosing cognisable offenses. Dissatisfied with the police response, the court sought an explanation and directed the Dhanbad SSP to appear personally before the bench. Advocate Shailesh Kumar Singh represented the appellant during Monday’s proceedings.
