THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE NAGESH BHEEMAPAKA WRIT PETITION No.24535 of 2025

ORDER:

The Petitioner has filed the present Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking a direction to respondents No. 2 and 3 to remove, de-index, or anonymize the judgment/order dated 17.10.2024 passed in Criminal Petition No. 2486 of 2024, whereby FIR No. 520 of 2023 was quashed by this Court.

2. Sri D. Sudharshan, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri V.T. Kalyan, learned Standing Counsel for Central Government, for respondent No.1.

3. None appeared for remaining respondents.

4. The case of the petitioner is that despite the quashing of FIR No. 520 of 2023 by this Hon’ble Court on 17.10.2024, his personal details and the quashed criminal proceedings continue to remain publicly accessible and indexed on digital platforms operated by respondents 2 and 3, causing grave and ongoing harm to his privacy, dignity, and reputation. It is stated that such unregulated dissemination of sensitive judicial data violates the petitioner’s fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(a) and 21 of the Constitution of India, particularly the right to privacy recognized in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India, {(2017) 10 SCC 1}. It is stated that the respondents, as intermediaries under the Information Technology Act, 2000 are obligated to remove unlawful content upon request but failed to act on the petitioner’s removal and anonymization requests, thereby acting arbitrarily and contrary to the Intermediary Guidelines, 2021. It is further stated that continued publication of said judgment serves no public interest, disproportionately impacts the petitioner’s professional and personal life, and undermines principles of fairness, proportionality, and natural justice, warranting this Court’s intervention through a writ of mandamus.

5. In view of aforesaid and upon perusal of the material on record, it is clear that the criminal proceedings against the petitioner were finally quashed by order dated 17.10.2024 and no appeal, review, or revision is pending. The continued online availability of the petitioner’s personal details relating to a closed and quashed criminal matter serves no legitimate public interest. The Hon’ble Supreme Court in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy’s case has recognized the right to privacy as an intrinsic part of Article 21. Courts in India have also acknowledged the emerging “Right to Be Forgotten,” particularly where disclosure of outdated judicial records causes disproportionate and unwarranted harm. In the present case, this Court is satisfied that the petitioner has made out a case for grant of relief. The

balance of convenience and the ends of justice require protection of the petitioner’s privacy, dignity, and reputation, especially when the underlying criminal case stands conclusively closed.

6. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is allowed by directing respondent Nos.2 and 3 to remove, de-index, or anonymize the judgment/order dated 17.10.2024 in Criminal Petition No. 2486 of 2024, insofar as it contains the petitioner’s personal details, from their websites, databases, and public search results, within a period of one week from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It is clarified that this order does not affect the official records maintained by the Courts or statutory authorities. No costs.

Pending miscellaneous applications, if any, shall stand closed.

____________________________ NAGESH BHEEMAPAKA, J Dated 17.11.2025 myk