Police rapped for revealing identity of sexual offence victims

A city court has rebuked Delhi Police for blatantly violating the law on confidentiality by revealing the identity of minors subjected to sexual violence and their parents in a series of cases.
Taking serious note of the names of the child victims and the names and addresses of their parents being mentioned in the charge sheets, Additional Sessions Judge Gurdeep Singh said "this is gross violation of the provision. Therefore, it is directed that the name and address of the child victim on the charge sheet be covered with fluid.
"Similarly, address of her/his parents be also covered. The name and address of child victim shall remain in police file which shall be confidential."

The court was dealing with 14 cases of sexual offences from April 1 to April 7, ranging from rape, molestation, unnatural sex and stalking, in which the police filed charge sheets along with names, addresses and other details of the minors, disclosing their complete identities.
The court was dealing with the cases lodged in various police stations of east Delhi, north east Delhi and Shahdara districts.
The judge, who passed identical orders in these cases, also directed senior officers of Delhi Police to ensure protection of the victims' identity.

The court took serious note of the fact that the provisions of Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act have been violated in various cases.

It referred to the provision of POCSO Act which says that the identity of the child victim shall not be disclosed during course of investigation or trial and said that despite direction, the police has filed the charge sheet along with names and addresses of the minors.
The court said this was a blatant violation of the provisions of confidentiality and directed the concerned Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) to ensure that in future no charge sheet shall be filed disclosing name of the child victim.
It also directed that the address of child's parents should also not be disclosed as it may reveal the victim's identity.