Marriage does not grant husband ownership over his wife: HC on uploading of intimate video
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Prayagraj (PTI): The Allahabad High Court has refused to quash a criminal case against a man accused of uploading an intimate video of himself and his wife on Facebook, observing that marriage does not grant a husband ownership or control over his wife, nor does it dilute her autonomy or right to privacy.
Dismissing an application filed for quashing the charge sheet, Justice Vinod Diwakar observed, "By uploading an intimate video on Facebook, the applicant (husband) has gravely breached the sanctity of the marital relationship. A husband is expected to honour the trust, faith, and confidence reposed in him by his wife, particularly in the context of their intimate relationship."
"The act of sharing such content amounts to a violation of the inherent confidentiality that defines the bond between husband and wife. This breach of trust undermines the very foundation of the marital relationship and is not protected by the marital bond," the court added.
The court further said, "A wife is not an extension of her husband but an individual with her own rights, desires, and agency. Respecting her bodily autonomy and privacy is not just a legal obligation but a moral imperative in fostering a truly equal relationship."
A case was filed against one Pradumn Yadav under section 67 of the IT Act in Mirzapur district by his wife alleging that Yadav, without her knowledge and consent, made an obscene video of an intimate act performed between them from his mobile, firstly uploaded on Facebook and thereafter shared with the cousin of his wife and other co-villagers.
Counsel for applicant submitted that the applicant is the legally wedded husband of the complainant and, therefore, no offence under Section 67 of the IT Act has been made out qua applicant. There are fair chances of compromise between the husband and wife.
However, the Additional Government Advocate opposed the argument on the grounds that even though the complainant is the legally wedded wife of the applicant, the applicant has no right to make an obscene video of her and circulate it to the cousin and other co-villagers.
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Tejashwi Yadav to head INDIA Bloc’s coordination committee for Bihar assembly elections
Patna: The opposition INDIA bloc has named Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav as the head of its coordination committee for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
The decision was made during a meeting of the six alliance partners – Congress, RJD, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI(ML)), and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) – held in Patna on Thursday, April 17.
While the bloc stopped short of formally declaring Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate, it confirmed that he will lead the key decision-making committee for the election campaign. The committee will be responsible for drafting a common minimum programme, finalizing the manifesto, managing seat-sharing talks, and coordinating campaign strategies.
Congress’s Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru, speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, said, “The coordination committee will be the supreme body for the INDIA alliance, overseeing every aspect of the election. Tejashwi Yadav will be its chairman, and members from all alliance partners will be included.”
The meeting followed Yadav’s recent discussions in Delhi with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Addressing the media after the Patna meeting, Yadav said, “There is deep resentment among the people of Bihar due to unemployment, poverty, and increasing migration. Even the NITI Aayog’s report confirms Bihar as the poorest state despite 20 years of rule under the NDA.”
He further criticized both Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the central government, stating, “The real double engine in Bihar is crime and corruption.”
In the 2020 Assembly elections, the RJD emerged as the single largest party with 75 seats, while Congress won 19 of the 70 it contested. The CPI(ML) secured 12 of 19 seats, and the VIP, despite exiting the alliance before the elections, won four seats.
The INDIA bloc is now preparing to mount a consolidated challenge to the ruling NDA in the upcoming state polls.
