Dikhyaa Mohanty 
According to the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, filming inside a police station is not illegal because it is not listed as a restricted location under the Official Secrets Act.
It should be noted that a division bench made up of Justices Manish Pitale and Valmiki Menezes referred to Sections 3 and 2(8) of the OSA regarding spying at forbidden locations in July this year and dismissed a case against Ravindra Upadyay under the OSA for filming inside a police station in March 2018.
“The Official Secrets Act’s definition of a “prohibited location” in section 2(8) is pertinent. According to millennium past.in, the court stated in its decision that the definition of “prohibited place” is extensive and does not expressly mention police stations as one of the locations or businesses that might be included in it. This Court believes that none of the elements of the claimed offence is made out against the applicant in light of the aforementioned requirements, it continued.
Upadyay had gone to the Wardha police station with his wife to lodge a complaint over a disagreement he had with his neighbour. Upadyay began filming a video on his phone as a conversation was going on in the police station and a cross-complaint was being filed against him as well. However, after realizing this, the police reported the incident and Upadyay was charged in the case. The judge, however, dismissed the FIR and proceedings against him.
