MP High Court Questions Government: Why Is Only the Victim’s Identity Protected in Rape Cases?

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh High Court): The Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain, in a joint bench, have asked the state government why the name of a rape accused is not kept confidential just like the name of the victim. The court has directed the government to respond within four weeks without fail. It also warned clearly that if a response isn’t submitted, it will be accepted with a penalty of ₹15,000. This amount will have to be deposited with the High Court Legal Aid Committee.

Called it gender discrimination The petition was filed by Jabalpur residents Dr. P.G. Najpande and Dr. M.A. Khan, and was presented by advocate Ajay Raizada. He argued that under criminal law, there is a rule to keep the identity of a rape victim confidential. But not doing the same for the accused creates gender discrimination, which goes against the spirit of the Constitution. According to the law, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty. In such serious cases, if the accused’s name is made public before the trial is complete, it can damage their reputation. Public image gets ruined The petition pointed out examples like film director Madhur Bhandarkar, who was acquitted of such charges, but the accusations still affected his public image. That’s why the plea requested that, under the same law, the name of the accused in rape cases should also be kept confidential until the trial is over.