Chandrababu courts controversy after posting photo with minor victim on social media

AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has landed himself in a controversy following his post on his social media account. Chandrababu posted a picture with a rescued victim of alleged sexual abuse and her family which violates the law prohibiting the identification of a minor victim.

The girl in question, hails from Guntur and was allegedly abducted by a 45-year old Nageshwar Rao who took her to Kashmir.

The police obtained reports on the same and conducted rescue operation to gain access to the girl and succeeded in returning her home in 45 days.

A case was registered against the accused under Section 376 (Rape), 376 (i), (m) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and sections under POCSO and Nirbhaya Act.

Following the rescue operation, the survivor along with her family met Chandrababu who then posted the picture taken with the family on Twitter. While the picture was later deleted, the girl's identity was revealed in public which violated the norms of the IPC.

The Section 23 (2) of the POCSO Act states, "No reports in any media can disclose the identity of a child including their name, address, photograph, family details, school, neighbourhood or any other particulars which may lead to disclosure of identity of the child.”

According to Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act, 2015, “No report in any newspaper, magazine, news-sheet or audio-visual media or other forms of communication regarding any inquiry or investigation or judicial procedure, can disclose the name, address or school or any other particular, which may lead to the identification of a child in conflict with law.’