SC to monitor CBI probe in Muzaffarpur rapes case

The Supreme Court on Thursday decided to monitor the CBI probe in the case of Muzaffarpur shelter home rapes and sought a status report from the central agency in four weeks. The top court asked the media to exercise caution while reporting the case.

A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta also vacated a Patna High Court order restraining the media from reporting the case. The apex court clarified that "there can't be a blanket ban but the media needs to be cautious and diligent while reporting".

Earlier, the Patna High Court was monitoring the case.

The apex court also reiterated that the media can't telecast or publish images of the victims of sexual offences even in morphed or blurred form.

"The media is requested not to sensationalise such events," the apex court said.

Clarifying that the victims of sexual abuse can't be interviewed or their identity revealed in any manner, the court said that even their families should not be identified.

The sexual abuse of at least 34 girl inmates at the shelter home in Muzaffarpur came to light during a social audit by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

--IANS

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