On Thursday, the Calcutta High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe derogatory social media posts involving the photograph of a junior doctor who was tragically raped and murdered on the premises of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital in August.
This directive came as the court acted upon a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed regarding the online circulation of inappropriate content related to the victim.
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A Division Bench, led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, expressed strong disapproval of the posts, deeming them entirely unacceptable.
The court emphasized the need for immediate action to address the issue and asked the CBI to submit a report by 18 September.
The Bench also noted that the CBI, having taken over the investigation into the murder, should extend its scope to include these offensive social media activities.
The court further questioned whether the state government had any mechanisms in place to regulate such online practices, especially when they involve the public dissemination of a victim’s image.
The PIL filed in the case argued that despite court orders, the state police had not taken adequate steps to curb the spread of these posts, which continue to circulate on various platforms.
This matter has already addressed by the Supreme Court, which, during a hearing last month, ordered the removal of the victim’s name, photos, and videos from all social media platforms.
The Supreme Court had underscored the importance of protecting the identity of sexual assault victims, emphasizing that revealing such information not only violates the law but also adds to the trauma faced by the victim’s family.
Despite repeated court directives, a section of internet users has continued to share or failed to remove posts disclosing the victim’s identity.
Both the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court have made clear their stance against this practice, stressing that such actions violate the dignity and privacy of the victim and her family.
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