The Delhi High Court on Wednesday warned social media company Twitter that it could face costs up to Rs 10 lakh if it fails to file a response to a petition, seeking action against media houses and online platforms for revealing the identity of the woman who was raped and murdered in Hyderabad last year, PTI reported.
A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar told Twitter to file an affidavit stating that such action will not be repeated. “What are you waiting for?” the court asked. “If you are not filing the affidavit, we will impose costs.”
The judges said the court had earlier imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on media houses for revealing the identity of a minor rape victim. The court gave the social media company four weeks time to file the affidavit and will hear the matter next on May 4.
Section 228A of the Indian Penal Code prohibits identification of rape complainants or victims of sexual offences proscribed by law without explicit permission. A violation can result in a fine and imprisonment of up to two years. Not only must the name of the woman be concealed, any detail that could make the identity of the woman public is illegal.
Four men had allegedly raped and killed the veterinarian before burning her body. Police said the accused were later killed in an encounter when they were trying to flee from custody.
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