Comply with SC order on removing deceased’s identity in Kolkata case: Centre to social media firms

NEW DELHI — The Centre on Wednesday directed social media platforms operating in the country to comply with the Supreme Court order to remove the deceased’s identity in the RG Kar Medical College incident, or else face regulatory action. 

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said that prompt removal required all references including the name, photographs, and video clips depicting the deceased, from all social media platforms and electronic media.

MeitY also asked social media platforms to inform about the action taken in response to the compliance of the Supreme Court order. It also urged all social media companies to ensure that such sensitive information is not further disseminated. “Failure to comply with the Supreme Court’s order may result in legal consequences and further regulatory action,” said the ministry.

In its order dated August 20, the apex court had directed that all references to the name of the deceased, along with any photographs and video clips depicting the deceased, be promptly removed from all social media platforms and electronic media.

“This Court is constrained to issue an injunctive order since the social and electronic media have proceeded to publish the identity of the deceased and photographs of the dead body after the recovery of the body,” read the order.

“We accordingly direct that all references to the name of the deceased in the above incident, photographs and video clips shall forthwith be removed from all social media platforms and electronic media in compliance with this order,” the court added.

A bench headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud also pulled up the West Bengal government over the publication of the name, photographs and video clips of the deceased victim. “It is extremely concerning. We are first to recognise the right to free speech, but there are well-settled parameters,” it said.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court also ordered the formation of a national task force to suggest measures for the security of medical professionals across the country, observing that the safety of doctors is the “highest national concern”.