Ex-DGP Sreelekha Moves Kerala High Court To Quash FIR For Allegedly Disclosing POCSO Victims' Names On YouTube Channel

Former Director General of Police (DGP) and Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Councillor Sreelekha R. has moved the Kerala High Court seeking to quash an FIR registered against her for allegedly disclosing the the names of victims in three rape cases through her YouTube channel and blog.Sreelekha is arrayed as the sole accused in a crime registered by the Museum Police for the offences punishable under Section 72 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita [Disclosure of identity of victim of certain offences, etc.] and for the offences under Section 23 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act [Procedure for media.].As per Section 23 of the POCSO Act, the identity of a child including his name, address, photograph, family details, school, neighbourhood or any other particulars which may lead to disclosure of identity of the child must not be revealed and any person violating the same shall be punishable with imprisonment not less than 6 months but may extend to one year.Section 72 BNS makes it an offence the printing or publishing of the name or any matter which may make known the identity of any person against whom a sexual offence has been committed. The punishment provided may extend to imprisonment for 2 years along with fine.According to the plea, a private complaint was preferred by a social worker for the Magistrate Court alleging that Sreelekha revealed the names of the victims on her YouTube channel 'Sasneham Sreelekha' and blog page. It stated that the Magistrate passed an order under Section 175 BNSS forwarding the complaint to the Museum Police, without issuing notice to her. Thereafter, a crime was registered against her.Challenging the order which was passed without giving an opportunity of hearing to her as required by law, Sreelekha has approached the High Court to quash the FIR registered. The complainant is also arrayed as an accused in the plea.In the plea, it is contended that she has not revealed the names of any persons who were victims of the POCSO Act. It is also pointed out that one of the cases in which she had allegedly revealed the name of the victim was not a POCSO case but a murder case.The petition is moved by Advocates Sasthamangalam S. Ajithkumar (Senior), Sreejith S. Nair, Satheesh Mohanan and Mahima.Case No: Crl.MC 2092/2026Case Title: Sreelekha R. v. State of Kerala and Anr.

Ex-DGP Sreelekha Moves Kerala High Court To Quash FIR For Allegedly Disclosing POCSO Victims' Names On YouTube Channel

K. Salma Jennath

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