NCW Notice to Swara, Amit Malviya for Using Hathras Victim’s Photo

The NCW has taken suo moto cognisance of the victim’s picture being used in various forms for public communication.

Swara Bhasker, Amit Malviya

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has issued separate notices to actor Swara Bhasker, BJP IT Cell Chief Amit Malviya and the Congress' Digvijaya Singh for using the Hathras rape victim's photo in the public domain.

The NCW has taken suo moto cognisance of the victim's picture being used by these individuals in various forms for public communication.

The Commission has asked these individuals for an explanation of their act, and to refrain from using these pictures on social media.

Earlier, the NCW had said that it will send notice to all those who shared the victim's identity, after a tweet by Amit Malviya with the 19-year-old victim's video.

“Not only Amit Malviya but others like Digvijaya Singh, Swara Bhasker & many others have revealed the identity of the Hathras victim on social media and others at Jantar Mantar.”

Rekha Sharma, Chief, National Commission for Women 

Sharma had further stated that the report is not clear on rape and Court has also taken Suo Motu cognisance. "Once its clear, NCW will give notice to everyone. I have details of each and every person putting pictures on social media or on posters," she had said.

On the evening of October 2, Malviya had tweeted a video of the victim saying, “Haathras victim’s interaction with a reporter outside AMU where she claimed there was an attempt to strangulate her neck.”

"None of it is to take away from the atrocity of the crime but unfair to colour it and demean the gravity of one heinous crime against another."

The 48-second video was fodder enough for many to demand action against the BJP leader for allegedly violating laws that preserve the identity of sexual assault victims.

Under the Indian Penal Code, revealing the identity of a sexual assault victim is prohibited. But with demand for action against Malviya, the NCW has clarified, whenever it does take action against him, others like Swara Bhasker and Digvijaya Singh too will face consequences.

The 19-year-old Hathras girl died following an alleged gang rape. She died on 29 September 2020 at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital after having suffered fractures, partial paralysis and a spinal injury following the savage assault.

(With inputs from ANI and IANS)