New Delhi, April 2 (NationPress) A court in Delhi has approved regular bail for a man charged with sharing an AI-altered image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. The court also mandated an initial investigation into a purportedly forged document related to his arrest.

In a ruling, Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler of the Patiala House Courts permitted the first regular bail application submitted by Mujahid Jamal Shaikh concerning FIR No. 44/2026, which was filed at the Special Cell police station.

The accused was charged under Sections 336(4), 356(2), and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), in addition to Section 66 of the Information Technology Act.

The prosecution claimed that the accused had allegedly shared on February 1, 2026, an AI-generated morphed image through his X account, portraying the Prime Minister bowing to actor Shah Rukh Khan.

A complaint was filed on February 18 by SI Ankur Tomar. The accused cooperated with the investigation on March 12 at the Mangaon Police Station in Maharashtra, where his mobile device was confiscated. He was subsequently arrested on March 18 by the Investigating Officer after the case was handed over to the Special Cell.

Representing the accused, attorney Aamir Raza Khan argued that the 34-year-old is a law-abiding individual with no criminal background and is the sole provider for his family, which includes his wife, three young children, and elderly parents.

It was emphasized that the evidence in this case is entirely electronic and has already been secured, with the social media account in question having been deactivated at the police's request.

The defense further asserted that the charges under Section 353(2) BNS are not prima facie established, as the alleged post does not incite enmity or hatred among various groups.

In contrast, the prosecution maintained that the nature of the offense is serious and raised concerns about potential tampering with electronic evidence.

After evaluating both arguments and reviewing the records, the court noted that no recovery was made following the police custody remand and that the allegations pertained solely to a single social media post.

“The alleged offense is confined to sharing a single AI-morphed image of the Hon’ble Prime Minister in a questionable context alongside a film star,” the ruling stated.

The court further noted that the investigation regarding the applicant is concluded and that the crucial evidence has been secured.

Considering all relevant facts and circumstances, the court concluded that the applicant is entitled to regular bail, highlighting that there is no risk of him fleeing or tampering with evidence.

The court also raised certain procedural issues and instructed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, to initiate a preliminary investigation into the authenticity of a document allegedly containing the grounds for arrest dated March 12, 2026, which the investigating agency claims is forged.

The ruling mentioned that, if necessary, the assessment of a handwriting expert may be sought. Upon granting bail, the court required the accused to provide a personal bond of Rs 25,000 along with a surety of the same amount.

Additionally, it imposed conditions that the accused must not leave the country without prior approval from the trial court, must attend every hearing, and must not tamper with evidence or influence witnesses.

Significantly, the court ordered that the accused’s X account remain deactivated and “shall not be reactivated by the applicant unless explicit written permission is granted by the trial court.”

The ruling clarified that any breach of these conditions would result in the cancellation of bail, and that the observations made in the order would not impact the trial's merits.