The commentary describes images of arrested people circulating online before they appear before a magistrate. It argues that photographs can help locate wanted people or witnesses, but publicity that mainly showcases police work can damage an accused person’s reputation before a trial.
The legal position is presented as fragmented. The article says Section 84 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023—formerly Section 82 of the Code of Criminal Procedure—allows courts to publish an absconder proclamation after a warrant is not executed; it does not expressly address police posting arrest photographs during an investigation. The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 covers collection and use of identifying measurements, but the commentary says it does not itself authorize public circulation of photographs.
The piece also points to constitutional concerns under Article 21 and existing protections for juveniles and sexual-assault survivors. It says a draft police media-briefing manual was shared with the Union Home Ministry in July 2024, and that in January 2026 the Supreme Court directed States to frame appropriate policies based on a manual prepared by an amicus.
The Hindu’s analysis calls for a uniform, proportionate protocol: distinguish disclosures necessary to an investigation from publicity for institutional image, protect identities covered by law, and review or remove notices when their purpose ends. These are the commentary’s arguments; they are not a substitute for current legal advice.