TN man banned from social media for a year for posting morphed pic of PM

Jabin Charles cannot use social media for a year now. His crime? Posting a morphed picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Monday, Charles from Kaniyakumari in Tamil Nadu had to give an undertaking to the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court for getting anticipatory bail and agreeing to not to use social media for a year, reported The Times of India.

A BJP functionary Nanjil Raja of Vadasery had raised the issue when he came across the morphed picture on 10 October, just few days before the informal summit between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mamallapuram.

Justice G R Swaminathan said the prosecution could move the court and the anticipatory bail would be cancelled, if Charles was found using social media. He has been directed to submit an apology letter to the jurisdictional court.

Charles had already appealed saying he regretted his action and said he realised no citizen had the right to disrespect the prime minister. He even agreed to issue an apology in a local newspaper.

A case was filed against Charles for offences punishable under Section 505 (ii) (public mischief) of IPC and 67B of Information Technology Act, 2000.