Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court has sought a response from the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments on a PIL filed against the rampant sale and use of illegal spy cameras which secretly film women in public places and even in their homes.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice J. Uma Devi was hearing a PIL by Heaven Home Society, an NGO represented by G. Varalakshmi, seeking to direct the authorities to formulate guidelines and restrictions which would lead to a licensing regime to curb and regulate the rampant sale of online and offline of spy cameras.
B. Rachna Reddy, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that rampant unregulated use of spy cameras put privacy and dignity of women in jeopardy.
She said that spy cameras have no use other than for national security, defence and law enforcement.
Being small, these spy cameras can be fitted in public restrooms, changing rooms, or other private places in houses.
She said that these spy cameras have victimised women all over the world and also claimed that they have caused many suicides. Many cases have been filed against this.
A law must be in place to punish the perpetrators who breach the privacy and security of women and beam pornography online across the world, she said.
The bench asked both state governments to explain possible steps to regulate the sale of spy cameras within three weeks.
