New Delhi: Two advocates have urged Delhi High Court Chief Justice DN Patel to take suo motu (on his own) cognisance of the incident of ‘Bois Locker Room’. It is an Instagram group in which obscene messages and morphed pictures of underage girls were shared.
The participants of the chat room were teenage boys from Delhi who allegedly shared lewd and objectionable content pertaining to minor girls.
Advocates Neela Gokhale and Ilam Paridhi, in a letter to Chief Justice Patel, said the seriousness and gravity of the illegal activities of a large group of boys needs to be looked into. They were discussing ways and means to rape and sexually harass women, including minor and under-age girls via social media platforms. This very idea has compelled them to write this letter.
They urged Chief Justice Patel to direct the authorities concerned to register FIRs for the alleged offences, punishable under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), the Information and Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code, against the perpetrators and initiate investigation in the matter at the earliest.
The chat room stirred a controversy after various screenshots were shared on social media recently.
The letter said while virtual platforms and technology have been a boon for enabling people to learn, share and grow. A few of rogues cannot be permitted to dilute the credibility and utility of the social media platforms to perpetuate and propagate their vile and abusive behaviour.
“The mediums which were meant to lend voices even to the voiceless, cannot be permitted to offer its platform as a breeding ground for misogyny and extend all the offline sexism and objectification that prevails, online,” the letter said.
“The content is related to obscene and lewd comments on the private body parts of the women, with further threats and offers to leak morphed nude pictures and circulate them. Private photographs of women and girls were shared accompanied by foul and degrading comments in respect of the girls in the photos. Furthermore, the conversation between the members went to the extent of making plans to ‘gang rape’ the said minors,” the letter added.
PTI
