In a serious breach of privacy and an act of alleged intimidation, the MG Road police in Indore have registered a case against a youth for secretly photographing a rape survivor inside the district court complex and circulating the images on social media without her permission.
Stalking and Privacy Violation in Court Premises
The survivor had visited the court on Monday for a hearing related to her father's bail application. It was during this time that the accused, identified as Arjun Joshi, allegedly followed her within the court campus and took her photographs without seeking any consent. The woman was completely unaware of this act as it was happening.
She later discovered that the pictures were not only taken covertly but were also shared widely. The accused first sent the photographs to her brother and then proceeded to circulate them on a WhatsApp group. This unauthorized sharing caused the woman severe mental distress, prompting her to seek legal recourse.
Legal Action Under New BNS Law
Acting on a formal complaint filed through the survivor's lawyer, the police took swift action. Vijay Sisodiya, the in-charge of MG Road police station, confirmed that an FIR has been registered under section 78(1)(i) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for the offence of stalking. The investigation into the matter is currently underway.
This case highlights the application of the new criminal laws, with Section 78 of the BNS specifically dealing with acts of stalking that cause fear of violence or serious distress.
A History of Previous Allegations
Records reveal that this is not the first legal confrontation between the survivor and the accused. In September 2025, the woman had previously lodged a rape complaint against Arjun Joshi at the Khajrana police station. In that complaint, she alleged that Joshi had exploited her after misleading her into a relationship.
In a related and complex twist, around the same time period, Joshi had also filed a complaint against the survivor's father. He accused the father of firing at him, resulting in a hand injury. However, the police have described that particular case as suspicious and have kept it under investigation.
The latest incident of photographing and circulating images adds a grave new dimension to this ongoing saga, raising serious concerns about the safety and privacy of survivors within the justice system's premises. The police are now investigating the full scope of the allegations under the stringent provisions of the new law.
