Delhi High Court has issued a warning to Twitter for not filing a response in the Hyderabad rape case.
The Delhi High Court has warned Twitter that it can face costs of Rs 10 lakh if it does not file its response to a petition that seeks action against media houses and social media platforms for revealing the identity of the Hyderabad rape victim.
"File an affidavit stating that you (Twitter) will not repeat it. What are you waiting for? If you are not filing the affidavit, we will impose costs," a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar said to the social media platform.
The bench said that the High Court had earlier in a similar matter imposed costs of Rs 10 lakh on media houses for revealing identity of a minor rape victim.
"We do not want to repeat that order," the court said.
It gave Twitter four weeks time to file its affidavit and listed the matter for further hearing on May 4.
The court was hearing a PIL by lawyer Yashdeep Chahal seeking action against certain media houses and social media platforms like Twitter, where some individuals had revealed the identity of the Hyderabad rape victim.
Section 228A of the Indian Penal Code makes disclosure of identity of victim of certain offences, including rape, punishable with imprisonment of a term that may extend to two years and a fine.
The petition has claimed blatant violation of Section 228A by individuals, media houses and social media platforms by publishing elaborate reports revealing the identity of the victim and the four accused in the Hyderabad rape case on various online and offline portals.
A 26-year-old woman was allegedly raped and killed in Shamshabad, Telangana, by four men on the night of November 27.