aNew Delhi, 03 December: A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking action against media houses that have revealed the name of the victim after the rape of a woman in Hyderabad. The petition has been filed by Yashdeep Chahal.
The petition said that media institutions have violated the Supreme Court guidelines in the Indian Penal Code Section-228A and Nipun Saxena’s case by exposing the name of the rape victim. The petition stated that the Supreme Court had issued a guideline not to reveal the name or identity of the victim on print, electronic, social media etc. Even if the victim has died, the name or identity should not be revealed without the permission of the victim’s close relative or session judge.
The Supreme Court has said in its guidelines that sections 376, 376A, 376B, 376C, 376D, 376DA or 376E of the Indian Penal Code as well as FIRs related to the POCSO Act cannot be made public. In the guidelines, police officers have been instructed to keep all documents related to the victim under sealed cover, in which her name or identity is being secured.
