Advocate caught on cam in compromising position during e-hearing gets bail

The Madras High Court granted conditional bail to an advocate who was caught on webcam while indulging in an unsavoury act with a female office assistant when the virtual court proceedings were on.

Justice R Pongiappan granted the interim relief while hearing the bail application moved by advocate RD Santhanakrishnan after noting that he has been in judicial custody for more than a month and has also been prohibited to practising.

“Therefore, taking note of the above aspects, particularly the period of incarceration, this court is inclined to grant bail to the petitioner subject to certain conditions,” the judge held. The court added that there was no question of evidence tampering in this case because the witnesses were all working in the High Court.

The petitioner submitted that he was unaware of the fact that his laptop was connected to the court’s virtual court website. To this, Justice Pongiappan said that whether or not the advocate had any intention to commit the offence would be a matter for the trial to decide.

Santhanakrishnan was granted bail on the condition that he should appear before the police at 10 am every day.

After the High Court took suo motu cognisance over the incident, the police booked him under Sections 228, 292 (2) (a), 294 (a), 354A, 370 (2) of IPC and Section 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act, 1998 and 67A of Information Technology Act, 2000. The CB-CID had arrested the lawyer on January 21 was remanded in custody.