Karnataka High Court Quashes Police Notice Issued via WhatsApp, Cites Supreme Court Ruling

The Karnataka HC has quashed a police notice issued via WhatsApp to a student accused of identity theft, ruling that such notices are impermissible under the law.

The Court cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in Satender Kumar Antil v. CBI, which held that notices under Section 35(3) BNSS / 41(A) CrPC must be served through legally recognized methods, not WhatsApp or electronic means.

The Court allowed the police to issue a fresh notice following proper procedure, reinforcing that WhatsApp cannot replace formal legal service methods in criminal proceedings.