HC directs media organisation to tender apology for disclosing Hyderabad rape victim's identity

The Delhi High Court on Monday asked a media house to tender a nicely worded apology for disclosing the identity of the victim of the Hyderabad rape-murder case.

The court was hearing a plea claiming the blatant "violation of Section 228-A of the Indian Penal Code" by individuals and media houses by publishing elaborate reports revealing the identity of the victim and the four accused in Hyderabad rape case on various online and offline portals.

The petition has been filed by Yashdeep Chahal, a Delhi based lawyer, through his advocates Chirag Madaan and Sai Krishna Kumar in Delhi High Court.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the media house whether it was done on "ignorance or deliberately."

The court asked the media house why have they not even filed an affidavit and directed the media houses to file an affidavit answering why no fine should be imposed on them.

The court has listed the matter for next hearing on December 20.

The court was hearing the public interest litigation which has sought to initiate proceedings against media houses and individuals and also to issue direction not to reveal the identity of the victim by publishing name and pictures of the victim.

The petition also sought direction to prohibit the publication of the pictures of the accused even before trial and also to direct to investigation authorities to conduct themselves in a restricted manner in supplying the information on merits of the case to media.

The petition claimed to aim to curb the practice of exposure of the identity of the rape victims in violation of IPC and various Supreme Court precedents.

It stated inaction of the state police authorities and their cyber cells to curb the constant revelation of the identity of the victim and accused.

The plea further added that the respondents herein have displayed an appalling site of negligence and utter negligence towards the fundamental rights of the petitioner and her family.

The veterinarian was gang-raped and killed by the accused before they burnt her body in Telangana's Shamshabad on November 27. Her charred body was recovered on November 28.

On December 6, all four accused in the rape and murder of the veterinarian were killed in an encounter with the police when the accused tried to escape while being taken to the crime spot, police said.