The Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has ordered strict legal action against media organisations and individuals who revealed the identities of minor sexual abuse victims from Sanggo Residential School in Mebo, East Siang district. The directive comes after videos, photos and social media posts exposing the children’s identities circulated widely on Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp. Acting on its own, the Commission said it was deeply concerned that certain media platforms and individual creators ignored legal safeguards and ethical norms while reporting the sensitive case involving schoolchildren. Among the platforms named in the order is the digital channel “Satik Samachar,” which reportedly aired visuals identifying the victims. The Commission stated that revealing the identities of children affected by sexual offences is a serious crime under Section 23 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice Act and Section 72 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The directive also cited landmark Supreme Court rulings, including Nipun Saxena vs Union of India (2018) and Kinnori Ghosh vs Union of India (2024), which held that publishing a child victim’s identity violates the right to privacy and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The East Siang Superintendent of Police has been instructed to identify all media outlets, digital platforms and individuals responsible for broadcasting or sharing the content and file First Information Reports against them. The Commission further warned that media owners, publishers, editors and employees will be held personally and jointly accountable if they are involved in the disclosure.Anyone found guilty may face six months to two years in prison and fines up to ₹2 lakh, depending on the applicable legal provisions. Those identified must remove the content within 24 hours of receiving the directive. Social media intermediaries, including YouTube and Facebook, have been asked to block all related content, associated URLs and prevent re-uploads. In addition to legal action, the Commission underscored the need for a child-sensitive approach throughout the investigation. It directed police to avoid media exposure of victims, ensure psychological support and follow child-friendly legal procedures. Officers must also submit compliance reports within 72 hours, including details on FIRs and those responsible.
The District Magistrate has been asked to coordinate with law enforcement and instruct all media houses in the district to follow legal privacy norms. The state’s Information and Public Relations department will issue a wider advisory reminding media professionals of their legal obligations. Furthermore, sensitisation programmes will be held for police, reporters, school authorities and community leaders to reinforce awareness about safeguarding child victims’ rights. The Commission, led by Chairperson Ratan Anya, cautioned that any failure to comply with its directives may lead to contempt proceedings, penalties and disciplinary action against defaulting officers. It has also reserved the right to approach the High Court for additional orders, signalling that the state will take a firm stance to protect children from secondary trauma and public exposure in abuse cases.
