The Madras High Court has said in a recent order that Grindr, a social networking and dating application used primarily by the LGBTQ+ community, was being used to commit offences.

Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy, in the order on August 13, also told the police to write to the government and ask it to consider “appropriate action” against the app, including blocking it.

The court was hearing the bail petition of a man who was accused of sexually abusing another man whom he met through the app, and robbing him of his chain and credit card. The man also allegedly used the credit card to withdraw Rs 1,15,000.

The judge observed that the purpose of the app was “illegal not for the question of being homosexual but for serving only a prurient and sexual interest of the parties”.

The court said: “The Investigating Officer shall also report about the mobile app to the appropriate agency namely, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India that it is used to commit offences/illegal purpose for them to consider for appropriate action, including blocking in accordance with law,”

The High Court granted the accused man bail and directed him to furnish a bond of Rs 10,000, and two sureties of the same amount. The court also told him to file an undertaking that he would delete his Grindr account and that he would not be on any other social media platform.

Further, the judge told the accused man to surrender his phone to the police and inform them if he buys a new one.