SC orders blanket ban on publication of images of Victims of Sexual Offences

The Supreme Court today ordered a blanket ban on publication of images, morphed or blurred, of victims of sexual offences by electronic, print and social media..The order came to be passed during the hearing the case of Muzzafarpur shelter homes, when the Bench of Justices Madan Lokur, Deepak Gupta and KM Joseph also pulled up the State of Bihar and the Centre over rising number of rapes and sexual offences in the country..“What is happening? Girls are getting raped left, right and center. NCRB 2016 data says 38,947 women got raped. MP is leading in the number of rapes, followed by UP. Yesterday there was the Deoria case. What are we doing?“.Questioning both the Centre and the State of Bihar, Justice Lokur expressed shock at the revelation that some of the shelter homes at the center of controversy of sexual abuse of inmates, were, in fact, government funded..“People are paying taxes and their money is going towards these things. Money is given to these institutions by the State… State financed these activities“, Justice Lokur said referring to the sexual abuse that had been taking place in shelter homes..Justice Lokur reiterated the government’s shortcoming by highlighting that the government had channeled funds to some of the institutions as far back as 2013 without carrying out inspections and asked the Counsel for Bihar if any action has been taken against these shelter homes..The Court was apprised of the status as it stood today. Four FIRs have been lodged in relation to the case and there are three Writ petitions before the Patna High Court with respect to the case. The Patna High Court is monitoring the investigation in the case..On the question of involvement of media and divulging the identity of minor victims, Amicus Curiae Aparna Bhat brought to Court’s attention that some sections of the meda, electronic as well as print, had published certain images of minor victims in the Deoria sexual abuse case which came to light yesterday..Bhat, therefore, urged the Court to impose a blanket ban on such publication of images to all cases where minor victims are involved..Pointing out the role of social media on adding to this menace, Bhat told the Court that the wife of one of the accused had taken to Facebook to publish a post listing names of several of the victims of Muzzafarpur case in an attempt to defend her accused husband..Noting that the accused’s wife had committed an offence, Justice Lokur observed that she should be arrested immediately..In light of these developments, the Court proceeded to widen the scope of its order passed on August 2 and imposed a blanket ban on publication of images including blurred images, of minor victims of sexual offences. It also directed the State of Bihar to take appropriate action against the holder of the Facebook Account which divulged details of the victims..The Court has also directed that insofar as the issues and questions relating to the mental health aspect of the victims of this case is concerned, only the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) will look into the aspect..All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will deal with the clinical and medical aspect of the victims while Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) will deal with the social and rehabilitation aspect. The authorities of these three institutes are required to submit a report detailing their plan of action within ten days..The Court will hear this matter next on August 14..Read Order: