December 11,2018:

On Tuesday, Supreme Court stated that it was "unfortunate" that the rape victims were being treated as "untouchables" in society.

Apex Court Bench headed Justice Madan B Lokur directed that names and identities of victims of rape and sexual assault should not be disclosed or revealed.

SC Bench directed the print and electronic media not to reveal identity of victims of rape and sexual assault "even in a remote manner".

"FIRs in cases of rape and sexual assault, including those against minors, should not be put in public domain by Police",Bench added.

In a previous hearing, Supreme Court was told that there was a need to strike a balance between the freedom of the press and the right of a victim to have fair trial in cases of crime against women.

Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, who is assisting Apex Court as an Amicus Curiae, had submitted before Supreme Court that the media was running a "parallel trial" in sub-judice matters and it should frame guidelines on how to report the cases of crime against women.

Jaising claimed that Police was leaking information to the media even before filing the charge sheet before a competent court, which amounted to interference in the administration of justice.

She referred to Kathua gangrape-and-murder case and had claimed that even before the charge sheet was filed in the court, the media had pronounced the decision that some of the accused were innocent and not guilty of the offences.

Source PTI

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