The Supreme Court has ordered Wikipedia to remove from its website the name and photo of the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at a government hospital in Kolkata last month. Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, identifies the doctor in a page dedicated to the incident that has shaken the country. Indian laws don’t permit the identification of rape victims.
“The identity of the victim should not be revealed in any way. Wikipedia should immediately remove the victim’s photo and any content revealing her identity,” a bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said.
The Chief Justice said the provisions of the Indian law is very clear that the identity of the victim in rape and murder cases cannot be revealed and Wikipedia must remove such references.
The doctor’s photo had been shared online and also featured at several protests across Bengal demanding justice in the incident.
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The court had ordered the removal of the name, photos and videos of the trainee doctor from social media earlier as well. The CJI had then said the disclosure of the identity of a victim of sexual assault is a violation of its order passed in the Nipun Saxena case.
In its 2018 order in the Nipun Saxena case, the Supreme Court had held, “No person can print or publish in print, electronic, social media, etc. the name of the victim or even in a remote manner disclose any facts which can lead to the victim being identified and which should make her identity known to the public at large.”
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The trainee doctor was found dead with severe injury marks on her body on August 9 morning at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, sparking strikes by doctors and protests across the country. A civic volunteer named Sanjoy Roy, the college’s then principal Sandip Ghosh, and a cop have been arrested.
The CBI, which took over the case from Kolkata Police soon after, has alleged attempts to destroy evidence by the principal and the police officer. The Mamata Banerjee government has also agreed to remove the Kolkata Police chief and two health department officials, which had been among the key demands by the protesting junior doctors.
