Delhi gang-rape: No escaping in-camera trial

The Saket district judge on Wednesday upheld a district court’s decision to restrict the media from covering the Delhi gang-rape case. The judge dismissed a petition challenging an order invoking in-camera (private) proceedings in the case, saying it was devoid of substance. 

The family of the 23-year-old who was gang-raped, however, said it favoured an open court hearing in the case, saying it would ensure people get to know of the developments.

Metropolitan magistrate Namrita Aggarwal on Monday had acceded to the Delhi police’s request to hear the rape case in-camera and restrict the media from reporting on the legal proceedings without the court’s permission.The order came following chaos in the courtroom the day the five accused were produced in court.

The district judge said he did not find any error, impropriety or illegality in the magistrate’s order. He said the magistrate was “within her rights or rather duty-bound to apply section 327 (2) (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).”

Section 327 (2) (3) of the CrPC prohibits the printing and publication of information relating to the legal proceedings without permission of the court.