Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued a decisive order to remove all references to the identity, photographs, and videos of the Kolkata rape-murder victim from social media and electronic media platforms. The directive, delivered on Tuesday by a bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, underscores the court’s commitment to protecting the dignity of victims of sexual violence.
The bench, which also included Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, made it clear that the dissemination of the victim’s identity is a severe violation of her rights. “The circulation of pictures and video clips of the deceased’s body on social media is deeply disturbing. We order the immediate removal of all such content from social media platforms,” the bench stated.
This ruling comes in response to a petition filed by lawyer Kinnori Ghosh and others, who raised concerns about the widespread disclosure of the victim’s identity on various platforms. The Supreme Court emphasized the importance of maintaining the dignity of victims, referencing its 2018 ruling in the Nipun Saxena case, which prohibits the publication or disclosure of any details that could lead to the identification of sexual assault survivors.
The victim, a trainee doctor, was found dead with severe injuries in the seminar hall of a hospital’s chest department on August 9. The following day, Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer on charges related to the rape and murder.
The Supreme Court’s ruling reaffirms the legal protections in place for victims of sexual violence, highlighting the need for responsible reporting and the safeguarding of personal dignity in the digital age.
