RS erupts over Mukesh Singh interview, Home Minister assures probe

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed huge uproar over the BBC interview of December 16 gang rape convict Mukesh Singh, prompting Home Minister Rajnath Singh to commit to a proper investigation of the same.

"The government has obtained a restraining order on broadcasting of film. The government has taken necessary legal action, our government condemns the incident of 2012," said Rajnath.

He added that he was surprised about the circumstances in which the orders to shoot the documentary were given.

"I was personally hurt by this, spoke to the authorities, made sure all steps are being taken to stop the broadcast. I am surprised about the circumstances in which such orders (to shoot the documentary) were given," Rajnath said.

"A no objection certificate was given on July 24, 2013 for the documentary to be released by the BBC . The permission to shoot the documentray was, however, given with conditions. The condition was given to shoot the interview for social purpose and not for commercial use. A legal notice was issued to the film makers when the jail authorities came to know that it (the BBC) had violated the conditions," the Home Minister added.

A Delhi court has restrained the media from broadcasting or publishing the interview of Mukesh Singh, one of the convicts of the Nirbhaya gang-rape case, after the Delhi Police moved court for a restraining order against his interview.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has also issued an advisory to all television channels to not broadcast the documentary on Nirbhaya.

The government has also sought an explanation from Tihar jail authorities over how the convict was interviewed in the custody.