Centre files reply on plea against media for disclosing identity of Hyderabad rape victim

The central government on Friday informed the Delhi High Court that disclosure of the identity of a rape victim was a "criminal offence".

The reply came on a petition alleging that individuals and media houses published the identity of the veterinarian who was raped and murdered by four men in Hyderabad last month.

In its reply, the Centre said, "As per Supreme Court ruling, no person can print or publish in print, electronic, social media the name of the victim or even in a remote manner disclose any facts which should make her identity known to the public at large."

The government cited various judgments and said that the identity should not be disclosed "even under the authorisation of the next of the kin, unless circumstances justifying the disclosure of her identity exist, which shall be decided by the competent authority".

The court has now slated the matter for further hearing to February 4 and asked other parties to reply as well.

The petitioner, Yashdeep Chahal, said that the revelation of the identity by the media houses was a blatant violation of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He sought initiation of proceedings against media houses and individuals.

On the petition, a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar had asked the media house if it was revealed in "ignorance or deliberately.