Delhi High Court: The Division Bench of Satish Chandra Sharma, C.J., and Saurabh Banerjee, J., took suo motu cognizance of the newspaper report which stated that a three-year-old girl child was sexually assaulted by a school cleaner in South Delhi.
The Court stated that it was brought to the notice of this Court by Justice Subramonium Prasad that a news item was published in the Times of India in respect of a three-year-old girl child who was sexually assaulted by a school cleaner in South Delhi. Thus, the Court directed to register to a Suo motu Public Interest Litigation based on the newspaper report.
The Counsel appearing on behalf of the respondent accepted notice on behalf of the Government of Delhi, including the Education Department.
The Court directed that a status report be filed positively within two weeks from the date of this order, in respect of action taken in the matter by the Delhi Police and by the Education Department, Government of Delhi.
The Court further directed the counsel for the respondent, that while filing the status report, the name of the girl child and the names of her parents would be masked. The Court also directed that the counsel shall undertake all necessary measures to protect the identity and right to privacy of the girl child and that the media acted in compliance with the statutory provisions as contained in Section 23 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
The matter would next be listed on 01-09-2023.
[Court on its own motion v. Govt. (NCT of Delhi), 2023 SCC OnLine Del 4842, Order dated 08-08-2023]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For the Respondent: Santosh Tripathi, Standing Counsel.
