HC issues notice to SKIMS over leaked medical report

We have issued notices to the (medical) superintendent, SKIMS Medical College (Hospital) Bemina and the IGP Kashmir Zone to explain as to how these medical reports have been put in the public domain and why the confidentiality thereto has not been maintained," the court said in its order

Srinagar: Taking a serious note of the circulation of Bandipore rape victim's medical report on social media, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has issued notices to police and SKIMS Medical College Hospital to explain how it was leaked.

The medical report of the 3-year-old girl, who was alleged to have been raped in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipore district, had found insufficient evidence to confirm sexual assault.

The report had leaked on social media and the medical superintendent of SKIMS Medical College Hospital, Bemina said it was "authentic".

The high court on Tuesday issued notices to the inspector general of police, Kashmir and the medical superintendent, SKIMS Medical College Hospital, to explain how the medical examination report of the victim was circulated on social media.

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The bench consisting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rashid Ali Dar said further action in the matter would follow after the court receives reply to the notices.

"We have issued notices to the (medical) superintendent, SKIMS Medical College (Hospital) Bemina and the IGP Kashmir Zone to explain as to how these medical reports have been put in the public domain and why the confidentiality thereto has not been maintained," the court said in its order issued on Wednesday.

"Further action in this regard shall be taken on receipt of the responses from these two authorities," it said.

The court directed the amicus to submit a list of URLs of the social media pages which revealed the identity of the victim to Facebook for action.

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It also directed the inspector general of police (Traffic) to ensure removal of solidarity posters on vehicles which reveal the victim's identity.

The next date of hearing in the case is July 3.