Right to Dignity Does Not End With Arrest, Rajasthan HC Orders Police to Remove Photos of Arrestees

The Rajasthan High Court pulled up the Jaisalmer police for publicly shaming arrested persons by photographing them in degrading conditions and circulating the images on social media and in newspapers.

The Court held that an arrest does not strip an individual of the right to dignity guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.

It ordered the immediate removal of such photographs within 24 hours and sought responses from senior police officials on safeguards to prevent recurrence.

The Court observed that publicly portraying accused persons as criminals before trial violates the presumption of innocence and causes irreversible harm to reputation.

[Islam Khan & Ors. v. State of Rajasthan & Ors.]