The Delhi High Court refused to lift the ban on the controversial BBC documentary based on the infamous Delhi Gang rape in 2012 on March 12, 2015. The HC said that the chief justice would hear the case next Wednesday.
The documentary was produced for BBC and India’s NDTV but a lower court blocked the film on the grounds of ‘objectionable content’. The convicted Mukesh Singh and three others involved in the case are facing death penalty for the 2012 gang rape on a Delhi bus. The rapists in the interview showed no regret and blamed the victim for fighting back.
A petition to lift the ban from the documentary was filed by three law students on the basis of freedom of speech. But the bench hearing the case and the court said, “judges are not from outer space, [they] get subconsciously pressured by [an] emotional media trial”.
Critics on the other hand have accused of highlighting the rapists by providing them a platform and encouraging the copycat crimes. Authorities of the broadcast have expressed concerns that broadcasting the documentary could lead to an atmosphere of fear and tension. The authorities added that it could also lead to a public outcry. The documentary is made by Leslee Udwin and had sought permission from the Home Ministry to conduct the interview.
Photo Credits: guim
