Hidden camera found in women’s washroom in Chandigarh PG; girl, male accomplice arrested
Chandigarh, Nov 30: A woman and her male accomplice were arrested after a spy camera was found installed in the geyser of a women's washroom at a rented house here, police said.
The accused were arrested on Wednesday after preliminary investigations, police said. The owner of the rented accommodation had reported the matter to the police.
Police said the device had allegedly been installed by one of the young woman, who had moved to the house a few days ago where four other women too lived on rent. She had installed the device allegedly on the request of her male accomplice who had given it to her, police said.
After another woman living on rent at the accommodation noticed the device, she informed the house owner, who later called the police and a complaint was lodged.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, Chandigarh Police DSP Gurmukh Singh said three days ago they received a complaint in the matter from a young woman living on rent in Sector 22 here.
She stated that she works in Chandigarh and had been staying at the house for the past three years. "A few days ago, she noticed that some device had been installed in the washroom's geyser and suspected that it could be a hidden camera.
"She first spoke to the owner of the house who later reported the matter to the police," the Deputy Superintendent of Police said.
After preliminary inquiry, an FIR was registered in the matter under IPC sections 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 354 C (voyeurism) and under the provisions of the IT Act.
He said during investigations, police also traced the shop from where the device was purchased.
"It was found that one of the women living at the rented accommodation had fitted it. We arrested her. Her male accomplice, who lives in Sector 20 here, has also been arrested.
"We questioned both in detail. We have sent their mobile phones and the device for forensic examination. The arrested accused woman said her male accomplice asked her to fit the instrument. What was the real purpose behind the whole thing that is still under investigation," he said.
When asked what kind of device it was, Singh said, "it was kind of a spy camera". The house owner told reporters that he has given only three rooms on rent. "The girl who has been caught had come to live on rent only four days ago," he said.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
