Chennai, Sept 25:
The Greater Chennai Police have warned of strict legal action against those sharing photographs or other identifying information of minor victims involved in cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the police said they had noticed that a photograph of a minor girl involved in an important POCSO case was being circulated through visual media and social media platforms.
The warning comes against the backdrop of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) investigation into the POCSO case involving Gem Granites proprietor R Veeramani. The case is currently under investigation following the rejection of an earlier closure report by the Special POCSO Court and subsequent developments in the probe.
The police said publishing or sharing a photograph of a minor involved in a POCSO case is a serious offence under Section 23(2) of the POCSO Act. The provision prohibits disclosure of the identity of a child involved in such a case through photographs or other identifying details.
The Greater Chennai Police appealed to the public, media organisations and social media users not to circulate any photographs, videos or other information that could reveal the identity of the minor. They also urged anyone possessing evidence related to the case to hand it over directly to the police instead of sharing it in the public domain.
The police reiterated that evidence relevant to the investigation should be submitted through the proper channels and warned that those who violate the legal safeguards protecting POCSO victims could face action.