Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 8: High Court has directed the authorities for maintaining anonymity of victims’ names in rape and child abuse cases.
The Division Bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Puneet Gupta in this regard ordered the police, Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) and medical professionals examining the prosecutrix must ensure that the name of the prosecutrix is not to be given in records.
“Only the victim’s parentage is recorded, without mentioning the full name or address in cases related to offences against women u/s 376 (rape) or POCSO (Child abuse) cases,” DB said.
The DB directed the Registry to immediately remove the name of a victim from court documents in a criminal case, ensuring anonymity in sensitive matters.
The direction came to be followed after the court noticed the victim’s name appeared on multiple pages of the appeal to which the court was dealing with.
The court also ordered the Administration of J&K UT to sensitize all investigating agencies in this regard in order to keep the particulars of the victim confidential during and after completing the investigation.
The court directed that the name of the prosecutrix be immediately redacted and necessary changes be accordingly made in the digital copies of the instant appeal.
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