Supreme Court Disapproves Service Of Notice Through WhatsApp In Bail Case

The Supreme Court orally observed that notices in criminal matters should not be served through social media platforms such as WhatsApp or Twitter.

A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria remarked while hearing an anticipatory bail plea in a rape case, where the petitioner’s counsel claimed to have served notice via WhatsApp as the complainant was unreachable.

The Court directed the jurisdictional police to personally serve the victim within two weeks and continued the interim protection against arrest.

The Court reiterated that service of notice must follow due process and not be substituted by social media communication.

[Manoj Kumar Mohanty v State of Odisha and Anr.]