Supreme Court Orders Removal of Rape-Murder Victim's Identity from Social Media

The Supreme Court of India ordered the removal of a rape-murder victim's name, photos, and videos from social media. This directive follows a plea against the disclosure of the victim's identity. The court emphasized protecting the victim's identity as per its 2018 Nipun Saxena case ruling.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the removal of the name, photos, and videos of a trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, from all social media platforms.

A bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud stated that disclosing the identity of a victim of sexual assault breaches an order passed in the Nipun Saxena case. 'The pictures and video clips of the deceased's body have been circulating on social media...we direct that the name, photographs, and video clippings of the deceased be immediately removed from all social media platforms,' said the bench, which also includes Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

The top court was addressing a plea filed by lawyer Kinnori Ghosh and others against the social media disclosure of the victim's identity. Earlier, the apex court expressed its concern about the widespread publication of the deceased's name on social media. 'Photographs and video clips are all over the media. This is extremely concerning. We are first to recognize free speech but certain parameters are well-defined. There are judgments like that in the Nipun Saxena case stating that names of survivors of sexual assault will not be published,' the court noted.

In its 2018 judgment in the Nipun Saxena case, the court declared, 'No person can print or publish in print, electronic, social media, etc. the name of the victim or reveal facts that could lead to the victim's identification and public exposure.' The trainee doctor's body, bearing severe injury marks, was discovered inside the hospital's chest department seminar hall on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested the following day by Kolkata Police for his alleged involvement in the rape-murder incident.

(With inputs from agencies.)