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Media Cannot Publish Child Victim's Identity Even If Done in Child's Interest:
In a significant ruling reinforcing the statutory protections afforded to children under the , the has held that media outlets cannot disclose the identity of a child victim, even if the publication was allegedly made with the noble intention of securing justice for the child. The Court dismissed a criminal petition filed by a press reporter and a newspaper editor seeking to quash proceedings initiated against them under of the Act, making it clear that the legislative mandate admits no exceptions based on the publisher's motive.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Anant Ramanath Hegde on , at the .
The Publication That Triggered Legal Action
The case originated from a news report published on , in the Kannada daily newspaper Janamadyama . The report covered an incident in which a school teacher had allegedly assaulted a child. On the very same day, the victim's father lodged a formal complaint with the police, leading to the registration of an FIR.
Following investigation, the filed a charge
