The bench of Chief Justice PB Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit passed the order on an urgent basis after taking note of a Times Now media report which reported that the victim would be visited by representatives of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and a delegation from a political party.
The Court observed that although it is not unusual to visit victims in hospitals, in this case such visits were likely to worsen the mental health status of the victim.
“The visit of people to the hospital to see the victim, in the circumstances, is not unusual. This Court normally would not like to restrict the freedom of movement of any citizen; however, considering the fact that the victim has suffered unbearable trauma and she has been undergoing medical treatment, in our considered opinion, the flow of visitors is likely to affect the health condition of the victim and disturb the ongoing medical treatment as well. Therefore, we deem it appropriate to restrict the visitors in the best interest of the victim and to secure undisturbed medical treatment,” the Court’s order stated.
The Court, therefore, ordered that no person, be it an individual, group, association, political parties or the like shall visit the place of the victim, except with the prior written permission of the medical officer in-charge of the hospital or the doctor treating the victim.
However, the Court clarified that the order shall not prevent the family members of the victim, the official representatives of statutory authorities/ commissions or the investigating agencies to visit the victim.
“Needless to state that the order shall not prevent the family members of the victim, the official representatives of Statutory Authorities/ Commissions or the Investigating Agencies to visit the victim in a need based manner,” the Court clarified.
Source: Barandbench
