(Image source from: The Hindu)

The Supreme Court on Thursday has restrained electronic media from telecasting images of the alleged victims of sexual assault and rape at a shelter home run by a state-funded Non-Governmental Organization (NG0) in Muzzafarpur district of Bihar.

A suo moto cognizance of the matter has been taken by a bench of justices M.B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta after receiving a letter from Ranvijay Kumar from Patna expressing concern that the alleged victims were subjected to media interviews.

The bench, which issued notices to the Bihar government and the Centre, asked the media not to interview the alleged victims.

"They cannot be compelled to relive the trauma again and again," the bench said.

It also restrained the media from telecasting the images even in even in morphed form.

"The investigating agency will take the assistance of professional counselors and qualified child psychiatrist in questioning the victims," the bench said.

The court has now posted the matter for further hearing on August 7.

Over 30 girls were allegedly raped at the center run by one Brajesh Thakur, the chief of the state-funded NGO.

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, initially highlighted the alleged sexual exploitation in an audit report to the state's social welfare department in April.  

An FIR (First Information Report) was lodged against 11 people, including Thakur on May 31. The probe has now been taken over by the CBI.

Out of 42 in whole, 34 sexual abuse inmates were confirmed in their medical examination, whereas two others were yet to undergo medical examinations.

The TISS audit report stated that many girls at the shelter home had complained of sexual abuse. A special investigation team was formed to probe the complaints.

The shelter home of Muzaffarpur run by NGO running was blacklisted and the girls were shifted to shelter homes in Madhubani and Patna. Among those arrested, Thakur and women staff members comprise in connection with the case.

By Sowmya Sangam