Kerala High Court Restrains Coercive Action Against Ex-DGP Sreelekha Booked For Disclosing POCSO Victims' Names
K. Salma Jennath
20 July 2026 9:15 PM IST
The Kerala High Court on Monday (July 13) passed an interim order directing the investigating officer to desist from taking any coercive action against former Director General of Police (DGP) and Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Councillor Sreelekha R. IPS who is booked for allegedly disclosing the the names of victims in three rape cases through her YouTube channel and blog.
Justice Jobin Sebastian was considering a plea filed by her seeking to quash the FIR registered against her by the Museum Police based on an order of the Magistrate under Section 175 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
"There will be a direction to the Investigating Officer to desist from taking any coercive action against the petitioner/accused until the disposal of this Crl.M.C," the Court ordered.
The case is now posted to July 20 (Monday) for further consideration.
During the last hearing, the Court had issued notice to the de facto complainant in the case.
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.].
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 2092/2026
Case Title: Sreelekha R. v. State of Kerala and Anr.
