The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to take down an online post put up by him on social media platform X in 2021 disclosing the identity of a minor girl who was allegedly raped and murdered.
On August 4, 2021, Mr. Gandhi met the parents of the nine-year-old girl who was allegedly raped, and murdered in south-west Delhi. He then shared a picture of himself with the victim’s parents on X, formerly Twitter. The post was later geo-blocked by the social media company.
The High Court on Thursday told Mr. Gandhi that although X has removed his post in India, it remained accessible beyond the borders of the country. It asked the counsel for Mr. Gandhi to have it removed.
For victim’s dignity
“If we have to protect the identity of the victim, it is necessary it is done all over the world,” the High Court said.
“Why don’t you [Mr. Gandhi] take it down? Please take down your post because worldwide it must come down...otherwise it will be picked up by the press all over the world. It can’t be done like this,” the High Court told Mr. Gandhi’s counsel.
The High Court was hearing a plea by Makarand Suresh Mhadlekar, who claims to be a social activist, seeking initiation of legal action against the Congress leader.
The Delhi Police counsel sought permission to file a status report in a sealed cover as it did not want to “scandalise” the issue. The counsel said unless the main crime of rape was proven, the subsequent act of publishing the identity of an alleged victim does not become a crime and investigation on the issue of revelation of the victim’s identity by Mr. Gandhi was under way.
The High Court will take up the case again for hearing in January next year.
