SC directs MeitY to remove social media posts revealing victim’s identity

Kolkata: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to nominate a nodal officer who can be entrusted with the responsibility of pulling down content from social media which are continuing to reveal the identity details of the RG Kar rape and murder victim.

The Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was told by the senior advocate Vrinda Grover, representing the parents of the victim, that social media posts with details of the victim are continuing to circulate.

The counsel also mentioned that soon a film is going to be also released on the RG Kar incident which gives rise to questions as to whether it would interfere with the ongoing investigation and more importantly, how will the victim be portrayed there.

The CJI, however, said that to stop the release of the film there are independent remedies available under law.

Another senior advocate Karuna Nandi, reminding the court of the Shreya Singhal case, said that take down from the internet can only be made possible by a court order.

The CJI observed that the parents of the victim are disconcerted by the repeated social media clips, photos and videos of the victim.

Noting that in an earlier order, Wikipedia was directed to pull down all identity details, the court extended this direction to all other intermediaries too.

“No intermediaries shall carry the name, identity, photos or videos of the victim either pertaining to the RG Kar incident or otherwise,” the court said.Further, the court directed MeitY to nominate a nodal officer who can be communicated with information and can take necessary action for pulling down the contents concerned.

Earlier, the Calcutta High Court had directed the CBI to submit a report following an examination of social media posts where the photograph of the rape and murder victim was being circulated along with “vulgar comments”.