SC TAKES NOTE OF KATHUA RAPE CASE

Delhi High Court seeks response from media outlets for revealing identity of Kathua gangrape victim

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday took a serious note of lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the Kathua gangrape and murder case and initiated a case on its own accord.

As the outrage over the Kathua rape case continued, the Supreme Court on Friday stepped in to warn the lawyers in Jammu that they cannot obstruct the process of law while the Delhi High Court restrained the media from revealing the identity of the victim by any means.

The top court took umbrage against the lawyers body of Kathua and Jammu for obstructing the way of the counsel of the victim’s family in the trial court, saying that advocates’ bodies have a solemn duty to not obstruct members of legal fraternity representing the parties.

The Delhi High Court had also taken up on its own taken up the reports in the media disclosing the identity of the victim and asked them why action should not be taken against them, both print and electronic media, for violating the privacy of the minor. “A whole media trial is going on,” it said.

In the top court, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud sought responses on the conduct of lawyers from the Bar Council of India, Jammu and Kashmir Bar Council, Jammu High Court Bar Association and Kathua district bar association by April 19.

The apex court was also critical of Jammu High Court Bar Association, which had passed a resolution to not attend the courts, saying “it is the duty of the Bar Association as a collective body and they cannot obstruct the process of law”.

“If a lawyer who is engaged, is obstructed from appearing in the court or if his client is deprived of being represented in the court when he is entitled to do so in a lawful manner, that affects the dispensation of justice and would amount to obstruction of access to justice and interference with the administration of justice,” it said.

The High Court bench frowned upon media houses for disclosing the identity of the girl and asked why action be not taken against them.

Hyderabadis took to Necklace road to express solidarity to the rape of the 8-yearold in Kathua. From children to senior citizens, all marched with candles and placards in unison. One placard held by a child read “Even I am 8-year-old, will you ensure...