Disclosing Names Of Rape Victims In Affidavits: SC Accepts Apology On Behalf Of States [Read Order]

It has been impressed upon them that they have committed a very serious lapse and they are required to be far more circumspect in future, the bench said.

The Supreme Court has accepted apologies tendered on behalf of the states of West Bengal and Uttarakhand for disclosing names of rape victims in the affidavit they filed before the court, observing that they have committed a very serious lapse and they are required to be far more circumspect in future.

A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta also noted that the annexure to the affidavit filed by the state of Meghalaya contains the names of the victims of sexual offences. The bench accepted the apology filed on behalf of the state also.

The bench observed: “Mr. Lalit Kumar Das, Joint Secretary, Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal and Mr. Ajay Rautela, Additional Secretary, Home, Government of Uttarakhand are present in Court today pursuant to our order dated 27th March 2018. Both of them have filed an affidavit tendering an apology for disclosure of the names of the victims of the sexual offence. It has been impressed upon them that they have committed a very serious lapse and they are required to be far more circumspect in future. The affidavits of apology filed by them are accepted.”

Directing the Union of India to prepare a chart indicating utilization of funds by the various states, the bench has now posted the matter on 8^th May, 2018.

Background

The bench was hearing the PIL pertaining to the issue filed by advocate Nipun Saxena.

During the last hearing, the bench had pulled up state governments of Uttarakhand and West Bengal and summoned its top officials for naming rape victims including minors in the affidavit pertaining to payment of compensation to them under the Nirbhaya Funds scheme and called it a “criminal offence” and a “brazen violation of the provisions”.