The Delhi high court on Friday sought response of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in a plea seeking FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly revealing the identity of a Dalit girl, who was raped and killed in 2021, and her relatives on Twitter. The child rights body said that it has informed the matter to the Supreme Court and received a notice from there, and will give its response through an affidavit.
Also read: NCPCR notice to Twitter on pic shared by Rahul Gandhi with rape victim’s family
“In 2021, Rahul Gandhi revealed the identity of a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offcences Act, 2012) victim in a tweet and a case was registered against him under Section 23 of the POCSO Act, Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice Act and Section 128 A of IPC (Indian Penal Code),” NCPCR chief Priyank Kanoongo was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Delhi HC bench consisting chief justice Satish Chnadra Sharma and justie Sachin Datta sent notice to the NCPCR seeking its response on the matter within four weeks.
However, the child rights body said that a formal notice has not been issued to them by the high court to file a counter-affidavit to the petition. Kanoongo said they contacted Twitter on the matter and came to know that the alleged tweet is not visible in India anymore. NCPCR earlier told the court that despite Twitter’s claim to take down Gandhi’s alleged tweet, the offence of making such disclosure survives.
In 2021, a petition was filed by social activist Makarand Suresh Mhadlekar claiming that the Congress leader violated the Juvenile Justie (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and the POCSO Act, 2012, by allegedly posting the photo of victim’s patents.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on July 27.
(With ANI, PTI inputs)
