WhatsApp Isn’t a Warrant: Why the Supreme Court Has Barred Electronic Service of Section 41‑A CrPC Notice / Section 35 Notice and What the BNSS Means for Police Practice
Police stations across India have, for years, tried to save time by pinging suspects on WhatsApp with a Section 41‑A CrPC notice instead of delivering it by hand. The practice looked efficient—delivery ticks, timestamps, even blue ticks as proof of reading. But on 21 January 2025, a two‑judge Bench in Satender Kumar Antil v. CBI drew a red line: “Service of notice