Delhi HC Seeks Centre’s Stand On Revealing Minor Rape Survivor’s Identity In Film To Kill A Tiger

The Delhi High Court has asked the Central Government to respond to a petition against filmmaker Nisha Pahuja and Netflix. The petition claims that the film “To Kill a Tiger” reveals the identity of a minor gang rape victim. Violating the law. The film, set in a village in Jharkhand, chronicles a man’s journey to seek justice for his 13-year-old daughter. Who three men sexually assaulted. The film was nominated in the ‘Best Documentary Feature’ category at the 96th Academy Awards.

A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela has issued notices to the Center, Emmy-nominated filmmaker Pahuja (who lives in Toronto, Canada), and the OTT platform streaming the film. The court has asked them to file their responses to the petition by the ‘Tulir Charitable Trust.’ The court has refused to stay the film in its current form, noting that it has been available to the public since March.

Petitioner alleges film reveals identity of the 13-year-old rape victim

The petitioner alleges that the film reveals the identity of the 13-year-old rape victim because it does not mask her face and shows her in her school uniform. The petitioner’s counsel stated that Pahuja shot the film over 3.5 years and made no attempt to conceal the minor’s identity. The counsel argued that nearly 1,000 hours of filmmaking went into the documentary. The filmmaker asked victim to repeatedly recount her ordeal. The petition also claims that the victim could not have refused consent to publish her identity after becoming an adult, comparing her situation to Stockholm syndrome.

The counsel for one of the private respondents contended that the film was shot with permission.  Of the minor girl’s parents and released with her consent after she became an adult. The counsel argued that once the girl reached adulthood, she had the right to discuss the incident if she chose. The documentary was first released in Canada in 2022 and in India in March this year. The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 8.

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