A division bench of Justice Sumeet Goel of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has recently emphasized that the granting of anticipatory bail may not be suitable for cases involving sextortion due to the severe repercussions these crimes have on societal cohesion.

Justice Sumeet Goel articulated this stance when rejecting anticipatory bail for two women and a man charged with involvement in immoral trafficking and extortion. The Court underscored that the alleged criminal activities of the accused individuals possess the potential to significantly disrupt the fundamental fabric of society.

“It goes without saying that in a case where the allegations are of sextortion, as are in the present case, it is not appropriate to grant anticipatory bail, as it would necessarily cause impediment in an effective investigation”.

The police submitted before the court that the main accused was running a brothel from rented accommodation and women would make video calls to innocent people and by blackmailing them, extort money.

The bench while rejecting the petition “It may not be possible for the investigating agency to unravel the entire modus operandi if the petitioners are armed with a protective order”.