Police Can’t Unnecessarily Access Call Records, it violates Right to Privacy: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has ruled that police cannot access a person’s call detail records (CDRs) without a lawful investigation, as it violates the right to privacy.

Justice Suraj Govindaraj refused to quash a criminal case against Sub-Inspector Vidya VM, who allegedly procured a woman’s CDRs illegally and shared them with persons she had filed a complaint against.

The court highlighted that unauthorized access to personal data could lead to a "police state" and must be curtailed.  

Vidya VM faces charges under the IPC and the Information Technology Act for improperly handling the CDRs.