MADURAI: A month after he posted a morphed picture of PM Narendra Modi on Facebook , Jabin Charles, a resident of Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu , had to give an undertaking on Monday to the Madurai bench of the Madras high court for getting anticipatory bail: he will not use the social media for a year.

Recording the undertaking, Justice G R Swaminathan said if Charles was found using the social media, the prosecution could move the court for cancellation of his anticipatory bail. Justice Swaminathan also directed him to submit an apology letter at the jurisdictional court.

Days after Charles posted the picture, a BJP functionary, Nanjil Raja, lodged a complaint with the Vadasery police station in the district, prompting the former to move the HC for anticipatory bail.

In his application, Charles expressed regret for his act and said he had immediately blocked the picture as he realised that no citizen had the right to cause disrespect to the PM. He said he was ready to issue an apology in a local newspaper for circulating the morphed picture.

Though he cited an observation by the Supreme Court that had clearly stated that putting out an opinion in Facebook, which is a public forum, is not an offence, Charles said he had expressed regret for his act.

