Dec 16 gangrape: HC seeks reply from BBC & documentary maker

The Delhi High Court today sought reply from BBC and the British director of the controversial documentary on December 16 gangrape case on a plea seeking their prosecution for interviewing one of the convicts who made derogatory statement against women.
A bench of Justice Sunita Gupta also asked the Centre and Delhi police to reply on a plea of convict Mukesh, facing death penalty in the case, who claimed he was compelled by the cops to "speak the written script" prepared by documentary 'India's Daughter' director Leslee Udwin.
The plea, which sought CBI probe, alleged that the film is only "outcome of fraud and conspiracy hatched by the Delhi Police, documentary maker, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and a private news channel with advocate V K Anand, who had briefly represented Mukesh during trial of the case."

The court also asked advocate Anand to give his response over the allegation raised by the convict, before April 27.
Advocate M L Sharma, appearing for Mukesh, claimed that his client was a victim of conspiracy and due to the film, he has been again fixed in the criminal scenario.
The court, meanwhile, declined the counsel's request to list the matter before the same bench which recently declined an interim prayer of a law student seeking lifting of the ban on telecasting the documentary.

The counsel urged the court that Mukesh's interview, allegedly taken inside Tihar jail here in July 2013, should not be aired.

He said the trial court's March 4 ban order was "equally binding" upon the documentary director Leslee Udwin, BBC, a private news channel and all others concerned.
"Bare reading of the prohibition order (trial court), it is not limited only for India. Order is binding in rem and the respondents who are partners in the said procurement of the film, are duty bound to comply (with) it and cannot release it out of India.
"Releasing the said film under different title, namely 'Indian daughter' upon their channel(BBC)... And youtube.Com cannot be allowed in any manner and it is illegal offence and is also a serious case of violation of the court order," the counsel said.

He also sought direction that any part of the documentary should not be used in any legal or judicial proceedings in any manner.