A Noida court has held a resident guilty of damaging another resident’s reputation through an objectionable message posted in a residential society WhatsApp group and ordered him to maintain good behaviour for eight months, according to a report by Navbharat Times – Noida.
The case relates to Antariksh Cannball Three G Society in Sector 77, Noida, where resident Virendra Singh was preparing for an election when another resident, Rajesh Bajaj, allegedly posted insulting messages about him in the society’s WhatsApp group. Singh later approached the district court after he did not receive a resolution through the police, the report said.
The court acquitted Bajaj of the allegation that he had issued a death threat but found him guilty of damaging Singh’s reputation through the messages posted on the group, according to the report. The case was filed through Singh’s lawyer, Prince Tiger.
As part of the sentence, Bajaj has been directed to maintain good conduct for eight months. He must also submit a bail bond of Rs 25,000 and provide two sureties, each for the same amount. The court has imposed an additional fine of Rs 10,000.
The order also requires him to appear before the court whenever summoned during the period of good behaviour. Failure to comply could result in him being sent to jail, the report said.
The case highlights how disputes that begin in private or semi-private communication spaces within housing societies can enter the formal legal system. WhatsApp groups are commonly used by residents and elected or prospective office-bearers to discuss maintenance, security, elections, repairs and other society matters. Messages posted in such groups can circulate among a defined community and become part of a dispute over reputation or conduct.
The reported proceedings also distinguish between different allegations arising from the same exchange. While the court did not find Bajaj guilty of the death-threat allegation, it held him responsible for the reputational harm caused by the messages, according to the report.
The sentence will remain subject to the conditions attached to the eight-month period of good behaviour, including the requirement to respond to court summons and comply with the bond and surety conditions. The report did not provide the exact date of the judgment or reproduce the messages in full.
