A woman, Swastika Payal Chand, has been granted bail by the Suva Magistrates Court following charges of distributing explicit photos without consent. She faces one count of Traffic in Obscene Publication under the Crimes Act 2009. The accusations allege that Chand accessed explicit images of a 23-year-old woman from her partner’s phone and sent those images directly to the complainant. Furthermore, it is claimed that Chand threatened to disseminate the photos to others.
The case came to public attention last Friday when the complainant learned about the unauthorized sharing of the images via a messaging platform. Chand’s attorney, Mohammed Saneem, has expressed intentions to contest the charge, asserting that it is flawed. He mentioned potential infringements on Chand’s rights, claiming that police forcibly entered her workplace to seize her phone.
A request has also been made for the return of the phone to the complainant along with restoration of any deleted content. Additionally, the defense is pursuing a domestic violence restraining order against Chand’s partner.
Chand was granted non-cash bail of $500 under strict conditions, which include prohibitions on interfering with the complainant or prosecution witnesses. The case has been adjourned, with the next court appearance scheduled for Monday.
This incident reflects a growing concern over digital privacy violations and the consequences of sharing explicit materials without consent. Similar cases in recent months highlight the importance of upholding individual privacy rights and fostering awareness around responsible digital behavior. As society grapples with these issues, there is hope that legal actions will reinforce protections for victims and guide community engagement towards safer digital practices.
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