Delhi HC takes cognisance of filming of students in washroom during college fest

A chief justice Satish Chandra Sharma-led bench on Monday said the gravity and sensitive nature of the matter called for immediate action

The Delhi high court has taken cognisance on its own of allegedly filming of Delhi University (DU) students at a women’s washroom during a fashion show at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) while directing police to file a report on the action taken in the matter within two weeks.

The court directed the police to prevent dissemination of the photographs and videos. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A chief justice Satish Chandra Sharma-led bench on Monday said the gravity and sensitive nature of the matter called for immediate action. It directed police to ensure the anonymity of the students during the probe.

The Delhi Police on Sunday said a housekeeping staffer was arrested for allegedly filming the students on October 6 and that they have recovered the phone used for it. They were also questioning students and staffers at IITD.

Advocates Santosh Kumar Tripathi and Nandita Rao, who appeared for the police, told the court the accused had been arrested under the Indian Penal Code’s Sections 354C (voyeurism) and that he was currently in judicial custody.

The bench directed the police to prevent dissemination on social media of the photographs clicked and videos recorded. It asked the DU and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University to submit a report by November 10 on the policies regarding security measures at college festivals.

“...it is imperative that adequate security measures are put in place, allowing the students to attend such events without any impending fear of experiencing such acts of violation,” the bench said.