Madras High Court directs DGP to ensure names of sexual offence victims do not find place even in FIR

Shocked to come across the name of a sexual harassment victim having been mentioned in the First Information Report (FIR), the Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Director General of Police/Head of Police Force as well as Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police to ensure such incidents do not recur.

Justice P. Velmurugan directed the DGP and Commissioner to issue strict instructions to all their subordinates that offences related to sexual offences against women and children must be dealt with the sensitivity that they deserve and the identity of the victims should not be revealed in any form.

“If any deviation is found, the entire police department would be held responsible and the court will take stringent action by way of initiating suo motu contempt,” the judge wrote and directed the Inspector of Kilpauk police station in Chennai to delete forthwith the name of the victim from the FIR before the court.

“The honourable Supreme Court has clearly given directions that the identity of victims of rape and other sexual offences should not be revealed in any form. But the investigating officers are not following either the law or the directions of the honourable Supreme Court,” the judge lamented.

The orders were passed on a writ petition filed by the accused seeking a direction to the police to expedite the investigation and file a final report. Since the prosecution reported to have already filed the chargesheet, the judge disposed of the petition with general directions to the DGP and the Commissioner.

Published - June 20, 2025 12:51 am IST