New Delhi, 22nd March: The Delhi High Court on Friday gave permission to the media to cover the day-to-day trial of December 16 gang-rape case that shook the country. The court will allow access to one representative journalist of each of the accredited national dailies.
The gang-raped 23-year-old physiotherapy intern died on December 29 in a Singapore hospital, where she was taken from Safdarjung Hospital for treatment.
The court, however, imposed some restrictions on the media, saying it would not disclose the name of the victim or her family members or witnesses cited during the trial.
Justice Rajiv Shakdher, allowing the plea of journalists seeking open trial instead of an in-camera one, directed the fast-track court to allow access to one representative of each media house.
The reporters will exclude parts of proceedings that the court instructs them not to report, Justice Shakdher said, setting aside the media advisory issued by the police not to report the court proceedings and order of the trial court.
“At the end, it is hoped that reportage will confine itself to the news as it is, and not transgress into the areas which are in the domain of the court. There is a thin, but a clean and distinct, line dividing the two which, if respected, will augur well for institutional integrity,” the order added.
On January 07, the fast-track trial court had ordered in-camera trial of the gang-rape-cum-murder case following unruly scenes that prevented the accused from being led into court. It also told the media not to report any news related to the case without its permission.
The proceedings have been abated against prime accused Ram Singh as he is dead.
The other four accused in the case are Ram Singh’s brother Mukesh, fruit seller Pawan Gupta, gym instructor Vinay Sharma and bus cleaner Akshay Thakur.
The sixth accused is a juvenile, lodged separately, and his case is being heard by the Juvenile Justice Board.
Bureau Report
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