Kolkata Rape-murder: Sc Orders Removal Of Name, Photos Of Victim | Know Penalties, Punishment

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Union government to remove all references to the name, photos and video clips of the Kolkata rape-murder victim from all social media and electronic media platforms. A bench led by CJI D Y Chandrachud asserted that revealing identity of a rape victim is a violation of her dignity.
“The pictures and video clips of the body of the deceased has been circulating on social media. We direct that name, photographs and video clippings of the deceased be immediately removed from all social media platforms,” the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.

The Supreme Court was addressing a petition submitted by lawyer Kinnori Ghosh and others, challenging the disclosure of the victim’s identity on social media.

“This is extremely concerning. We are first to recognise free speech but there are well-settled parameters. There are judgments of the court like in Nipun Saxena (case) that names of survivors of sexual assault will not be published,” the top court said.

In its 2018 ruling in the Nipun Saxena case, the Supreme Court stated that no individual or entity is allowed to print, publish, or disclose in any form—whether print, electronic, or social media—the name of the victim or any details that could lead to their identification and reveal their identity to the public.

The body of the trainee doctor, bearing severe injury marks, was discovered inside the seminar hall of the hospital’s chest department on August 9. The following day, the Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer for his alleged involvement in the rape and murder case.