SC to hear plea seeking guidelines to protect identity of sexual crime accused

Youth Bar Association of India (YBAI) has filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking direction for framing guidelines to protect the identity, reputation and integrity of individual(s) allegedly accused of sexual offences till completion of the investigation.

The petition, filed by lawyers Sanpreet Singh Ajmani and Kuldeep Rai, will come up for hearing on July 29.

The allegation of sexual harassment tarnishes the image, repute and goodwill of such person in the society and it adversely affects his entire life in all terms, even if, at later point of time he (accused) is found to be innocent, YBAI stated in its petition.

The petition, a copy of which has been accessed by ANI, also states that now it's high time that certain guidelines must also be formulated to protect the integrity of the person alleged to have committed such crime.

The petition further suggested directions may also be issued to the media (Print, Electronic and Social) to not to disclose the identity of such person until and unless, such crime is investigated by the competent agency.

"It is well settled that a person is presumed to be innocent until he is proven guilty but so much so, now-a-days, the moment an allegation of such nature is levelled and it is published in the media, the person loses his integrity in the society," the petition stated.

"That person also suffers loss of his hard-earned repute, image and goodwill in the society, which cannot be compensated in any manner whatsoever," it added.