Ahmedabad:
A seven-year-old rape survivor's identity was revealed by the Gujarat government which released a photograph of her on Sunday to highlight that a minister has visited her in hospital.
The seven-year-old girl was raped last week in Jamnagar.
On Sunday (July 28), Vasu Trivedi, the Child Welfare Minister in Narendra Modi's government, visited the hospital where the child is recovering. A press release sent out after that included four photographs which showed the child and her family.
According to the Supreme Court's guidelines, nothing which reveals the identity of a rape victim can be published or released and under section 228(A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), naming a rape victim is a punishable offence.
State Information Department joint director Arvind Patel said, "The department has sought an explanation from the head of the Jamnagar division and also asked to submit a written clarification within two days."
The government has not yet taken any action against the officers responsible for the grave lapse, he said.
Minister Vasu Trivedi could not be contacted for comments on the issue.