HC refuses to stay ban on Delhi gang-rape Documentary

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday again refused to stay ban on BBC documentary ‘India’s Daughter’ on Delhi gang-rape. The court has asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to issue an advisory over the ban.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice RS Endlaw posted the two public interest litigations for revocation of the ban on the documentary’s telecast for 15th of next month.

The High court last week had rejected a plea to stay ban the documentary, saying that the case was sub-judice in Supreme Court and allowing its display in the masses could affect the case. The court had referred the matter to the Court of Chief Justice.

In its order, the bench posted the pleas for March 18. It said: “Show us how this documentary would not be interfering with judicial system. We are not roaster bench. Let the matter come before chief justice, we are not giving any interim order.”

The documentary is about the gang-rape of a 23-year-old para-medical student, who was brutally assaulted on December 16, 2012, in a moving bus in Delhi.

The Union government banned the documentary following uproar over convicted rapist Mukesh Singh’s comments blaming the victim in his interview held in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.