A person, who forwards the message, has to take the responsibility for having forwarded the message
In the High Court of Judicature at Madras
Reserved on :
10.7.2023
Delivered on :
14.7.2023
Coram :
The Honourable Mr.Justice N.ANAND VENKATESH
Crl.O.P.(MD) Nos.11494 & 12163 of 2018
Crl.O.P.Nos.5099 of 2019 & 6211 of 2021 &
all connected pending Crl.M.Ps.
S.Ve.Shekher ...Petitioner in
all the Crl.O.Ps.
Vs
1.Al.Gopalsamy, President,
14. A message that is sent or forwarded in the social media is
like an arrow, which has already been shot from the bow. Till that
message remains with the sender, it is within his control. Once it is
sent, it is like the arrow, which has already been shot and the sender
of the message must take the ownership for the consequences of the
damage done by that arrow (message). Once the damage is done, it
will become very difficult to wriggle out of the same by issuing an
apology statement.
15. Every user of the social media must bear this in mind and
must be extremely careful before sending or forwarding a message to
others. There is a famous saying. Three things cannot be retrieved :
(i) the arrow once sped from the bow;
(ii) the word spoken in haste; and
(iii) the missed opportunity.
12/23 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
Crl.O.P.(MD) No.11494 of 2018
etc. cases
16. A person, who forwards the message, must be construed to
acknowledge the contents of the message and that is the main reason
as to why he forwards that message to others. In other words, the
recipient of a message, who wants others also to know about that
message, forwards that message to others. Once that is done, he has
to take the responsibility for having forwarded the message to others.
A person, who gets a dopamine high by looking at the likes for the
message forwarded by him, must also be equally prepared to face the
consequence, if that message has a derogatory content