An unauthorised interview of a juvenile in conflict with law telecast on a news channel has caused major embarrassment to the Jammu and Kashmir government, with its own child protection agency complaining it jeopardised welfare of the child.
The Juvenile Justice Board of Baramulla has asked how the interview was done without the permission of the competent authority and in violation of the Juvenile Justice Act.
The juvenile in question was detained on charges of militancy by police in Pattan area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district.
The district child protection unit (DCPU) Baramulla has submitted that the interview has been conducted to attract viewers at the "cost of safety, wellbeing, privacy, reformation and development of the personality of the juvenile".
The district-level child protection units were setup by the government under Integrated Child Protection Scheme.
Taking cognisance of the complaint filed by the DCPU Baramulla, the Juvenile Justice Board for Baramulla district — comprising principal magistrate Fayaz Ahmad Quershi and members Pir Khursheed and Rohie Jan– observed that the news channel as well as those who have allowed the interview of the juvenile's have ex-facie violated the juvenile justice law.
"This Board is under constitutional and legal duty to see that a juvenile in conflict with law is not exposed to any danger during the course of probe of the occurrence as well as enquiry and to ensure that the juvenile does not suffer any trauma directly or indirectly," reads JJB observation.
It also observed that the interview portrayed the juvenile, against whom and enquiry was yet to be completed, as a militant and his confession has also been extracted and telecast without any legal sanction.
The JJB says the juvenile has been exposed to a threat to his life by being "exposed to depose against others who have been associated him."
Passing a slew of directions, the JJB has asked secretary Information Technology to block weblinks relating to the interview to prevent further stigmatisation of the involved juvenile.
It has also asked deputy superintendent of police for Pattan to explain how the interview of the juvenile alleged to be in conflict in law was conducted and authorised without permission from any competent authority.
The CEO, bureau chief, news anchor and cameraman of the news channel that telecast the illegal interview have been directed to remain present in the court on the next date of hearing to explain why proceedings for violating juvenile justice law shouldn't be initiated against them.
