Group admin not liable for members’ posts on WhatsApp: Madras HC

The Madras High Court's Madurai bench has upheld a prior decision by the Bombay High Court that a WhatsApp group administrator cannot be held accountable for inappropriate content submitted by group members.

Justice GR Swaminathan cited the Bombay High Court's ruling in Kishore vs State of Maharashtra, which stated that if a WhatsApp group admin did not play any role in the crime committed by group members other than being an admin, he should be removed from the list of suspects.

The court did state, however, that if additional evidence is collected that demonstrates the administrator was engaged in the crime, he can be convicted according to the law.