Supreme Court Directs Deletion of Kolkata Doctor's Identity from Social Media

The Supreme Court has mandated the removal of all references to a trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, from social media platforms. This directive includes the removal of her name, photos, and videos. The bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, emphasised that revealing the identity of a sexual assault victim breaches the court's previous ruling in the Nipun Saxena case.

Earlier on Tuesday, the apex court expressed grave concern over the widespread dissemination of the deceased's identity on social media. The court noted that photographs and video clips were extensively shared, which is highly troubling. "We are first to recognise free speech but there are well-settled parameters," the court stated. "There are judgments of the court like in Nipun Saxena case that names of survivors of sexual assault will not be published."

Supreme Court's Injunctive Order

The bench, which also included Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, issued an injunctive order due to the publication of the deceased's identity and images after her body was recovered. The court directed that all mentions of her name, along with photos and video clips related to the incident, be immediately removed from all social media and electronic media platforms.

The plea against disclosing the victim's identity was filed by lawyer Kinnori Ghosh and others. It highlighted that the deceased's name and related hashtags had been widely circulated on platforms such as Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Google (YouTube), and X (formerly Twitter). The court's order aims to ensure compliance with its previous rulings on protecting the identities of sexual assault victims.

2018 Nipun Saxena Case Ruling

In its 2018 judgment in the Nipun Saxena case, the Supreme Court had ruled that no one can print or publish a victim's name or any details that could lead to their identification in any form of media. This ruling was reiterated by Chief Justice Chandrachud during Tuesday's hearing, stressing that such disclosures are prohibited.

The trainee doctor's body was discovered with severe injuries inside a seminar hall at the hospital's chest department on August 9. Following this tragic incident, a civic volunteer was arrested by Kolkata Police for his alleged involvement in the rape-murder case.

The Supreme Court's decision underscores its commitment to upholding privacy rights for victims of sexual assault. By enforcing strict measures against disclosing victims' identities, it aims to protect their dignity and prevent further trauma.