Ahmedabad court acquits man booked under Official Secrets Act for recording at police station

Ahmedabad: A local court in the city acquitted one Gulamhussain Sheikh, 25, who was charged under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for allegedly recording a video at Vatva police station in 2019. Sheikh had filmed when locals visited the station to present a representation, leading to his mobile phone being seized and an FIR invoking Section 7 of the OSA and Section 120 of the Gujarat Police Act.

The court ruled that a police station is not a “prohibited place” under the OSA, invalidating the charges. The court order states, “This court finds that though the definition of prohibited place is exhaustive, it does not include the police station as one of the places or establishments so as to attract the offence under Section 7 of the Act.”

It also noted procedural lapses, including the absence of a complaint by a competent authority and a lack of forensic certification for video evidence. Sheikh was also acquitted under the Gujarat Police Act, as the FIR was deemed untenable for the non-cognisable offence. DeshGujarat