Delhi High Court grants anticipatory bail to Ajaz Khan, cautions Social Media Influencers to act responsibly

Ajaz Khan gets bail from Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has reminded content creators and social media influencers of their ability to shape public opinion, particularly among younger audiences, and urged them to share their work more responsibly.

The remarks came as the court granted anticipatory bail to actor Ajaz Khan, who had been booked for allegedly posting sexually explicit and threatening videos aimed at YouTuber Harsh Beniwal’s mother and sister.

Justice Ravinder Dudeja, while delivering the verdict on Thursday, acknowledged that the internet has made knowledge more accessible than ever before, but also warned of its potential misuse.

Court also said that custodial interrogation was not required as Ajaz Khan's digital devices were already in the custody of Mumbai Police.

According to Live Law, the honourable judge noted that social media is not a private playground but a space that reaches audiences of all ages, and therefore carries responsibility.

“Before parting, just a word of caution for those using social media. The internet has made knowledge easily accessible by intensifying its circulation. With this, however, it has also brought a large audience of every age group. Thus, any content on the internet is porous and accessible to a large audience. Every content on the internet must be uploaded with great caution, especially when the uploader has a large audience and exercises influence in society,” Justice Dudeja observed.

Also Read: Bigg Boss 7 fame Ajaz Khan in legal trouble; booked for spreading communal tension

The case originated from a complaint filed by Harsh Beniwal’s mother, who accused Khan of making obscene remarks in reaction to a parody video by her son titled A Day with Najayaz Bhai. '

The complaint was registered under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.

Ajay, in his plea, claimed that Beniwal’s video had made defamatory and derogatory comments about him, calling him a drug peddler and molester, and that his response video — now deleted — was made in frustration.

In the case involving actor Ajaz Khan's obscene reaction video targeting YouTuber Harsh Beniwal's mother, the Delhi High Court has granted him anticipatory bail.

Court reasoned that custodial interrogation was not required as Khan's digital devices were already in the custody of… pic.twitter.com/0fJyNZRQQW

— LawLens (@Lawlens_IN) October 9, 2025

The Delhi Police, represented by Additional Public Prosecutor Yudhvir Singh, opposed his bail plea, arguing that the content carried serious social implications and contributed to the growing problem of online abuse and vulgarity.

However, the court ruled in Khan’s favour, noting that his mobile phone — the device used to record the video — was already in the custody of the Mumbai Police, and that custodial interrogation was unnecessary.

Ajaz Khan was granted bail on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 30,000 with one surety and was instructed to fully cooperate with the investigation.

In its 11-page order, the court also reinforced that the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution is not absolute and must not infringe on another’s dignity.

“The freedom of speech and expression granted by the Constitution under Article 19 must be exercised within the bounds of the reasonable restrictions it places. When the speech crosses the line into insult, humiliation or incitement, it collides with the right to dignity. Free speech should therefore not trample on dignity.”