DELHI HIGH COURT DIRECTS MEDIA HOUSES TO PAY RS 10 LAKH EACH TO J&K VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND

The Delhi High Court has directed media houses to pay an amount of Rs 10 lakh each to the Jammu and Kashmir Victim Compensation Fund for revealing the identity of the eight year old Kathua rape victim. Media houses that were issued notices for revealing the identity of the victim also apologised before the Delhi High Court.

Advocates representing media houses told the court that the mistake of revealing the identity of the victim was due to their ignorance of the law and a misconception that they could name her as she was dead.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar directed that the compensation amount be deposited with the registrar general of the High Court within a week. The bench also directed that wide and continuous publicity be given to the statutory provisions of law regarding privacy of victims of sexual offences and punishment for revealing their identities.