Kathua rape case: Delhi HC directs media houses to remove news disclosing victim's identity

In an unprecedented move, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed all the media houses to remove news articles, which disclosed the identity of the eight-year-old Kathua rape victim. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for July 16.

Earlier, on May 18, the High Court issued notice to Google, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites as they did not bother to reply to court's first notice on disclosing the identity of Kathua victim. On April 13, the High Court, for the first time, had issued a notice to various media houses, who disclosed the identity of the rape victim.

The media companies were also slapped a finme of Rs 10 lakh for revealing the identity of the Kathua rape-case victim. Moreover, anyone who will further disclose the identity of the minor, is liable to be imprisoned for upto six-month.

The eight-year-old girl, from a minority nomadic community had disappeared from near her home in a village near Jammu and Ksahmir's Kathua on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later.

The chargesheets, filed against seven persons and a juvenile in a Kathua district court, revealed heart-shivering details about how the girl was allegedly kidnapped, drugged, raped and murdered inside a temple.

(With inputs from agencies)