Madras High Court grants anticipatory bail to biker on condition that he campaigns on Instagram against reckless driving

The Madras High Court recently granted anticipatory bail to a 22-year-old man booked for performing stunts on his bike on a busy road in Chennai, on the condition that he campaigns against reckless riding and drunken driving through his Instagram account, which has over 40,000 followers..Justice AD Jagadish Chandira directed the petitioner, Gotla Alex Binoy, to post a video on Instagram making people aware of the risks of reckless driving, drunken driving, and the importance of wearing helmets and seat belts during driving. .The petitioner and a group of other riders had driven their motorcycles recklessly in Chennai's Anna Salai, "creating loud noise, causing panic and hazard to the other vehicle users and pedestrians." A complaint was subsequently filed against them by the traffic police..The counsel for the petitioner submitted that due to his youthful enthusiasm, his client used his motorcycle skills for the wrong purpose, and thereby, got into conflict with the law. He argued that Binoy had had no intention to attempt to commit culpable homicide, and that other than the offence under Section 308 IPC, the other offences under the Motor Vehicles Act that he had been booked under, were bailable in nature.Counsel for the State government, however, opposed Binoy's plea for anticipatory bail, saying that he had driven the vehicle with the knowledge that his act could endanger the lives of pedestrians and other drivers on the same road. .The Court, however, took into consideration the age of the petitioner and said that if he were arrested and remanded to custody, it would affect his future."The petitioner is a youngster active in social media with huge followers, instead of being role model to youngsters, he is alleged to have set a bad example by driving the vehicle in a reckless manner on the main road, instilling fear in the minds of the pedestrians," the High Court said.Thus, the Court ruled that custodial interrogation was not required and granted anticipatory bail after imposing conditions that "would in a way reform him."Binoy was directed to report to the trauma ward doctor at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for three weeks and assist the ward boys there in taking care of patients from Tuesday to Saturday, between 8 am and 12 pm, for three weeks. He was also asked to hand out road safety pamphlets at a signal in Chennai for three weeks..[Read order]