‘Spying’ charge against man who took a photo of police station dismissed by Bombay High Court

The Official Secrets Act (OSA) First Information Report (FIR) against a man living in Solapur for spying was quashed by the Bombay High Court [Rohan Tukaram @ Appasaheb Kale v. Somnath Haribhau Koli]. The court ruled that the law cannot be abused to harass or torment civilians.

A FIR under Section 3 (spying) of the OSA was filed against the petitioner for taking a picture of a police station in Akluj, Solapur, from the outside, which left Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan “shocked and dismayed”

The State was also ordered to pay costs to the Court in the amount of ₹25,000, which may be recovered from the police officers who used the OSA in this case. 

This news is written by Ms. Amrita Singh, Research Assistant, All India Legal Forum.