In a significant ruling on Monday, the Supreme Court declared that courts cannot compel accused individuals to share their Google Maps location as a condition for bail.
The decision, emphasising privacy rights, came from a bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, who asserted that such conditions violate personal privacy by allowing continuous police monitoring of the accused.
The court underscored that bail conditions should not undermine the very purpose of granting bail, which is to enable accused persons to await trial without undue restriction.
The verdict overturned a specific bail condition set by the Delhi High Court in 2022, which required a Nigerian national accused in a drug case, Frank Vitus, to share his location via Google Maps with investigating officers.
"We have said Google PIN cannot be a condition. Police cannot peep into the accused’s private life for bail," stated the bench in its ruling, highlighting the intrusive nature of the requirement.
The Supreme Court's decision emphasises the protection of privacy rights, asserting that conditions facilitating continuous monitoring by authorities are impermissible.
The case arose from an appeal challenging conditions imposed by the Delhi High Court, which had also mandated assurances from the Nigerian High Commission regarding the accused's presence in India.
The Supreme Court's intervention clarified that bail conditions must align with the principles of justice and personal liberty, without unduly infringing on privacy.
A detailed judgement explaining the rationale behind the decision is expected later today. The ruling sets a precedent against overly intrusive bail conditions that could compromise individuals' privacy rights during legal proceedings.
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