The Kerala High Court has ordered the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against Siby Mathews, the former Director General of Police (DGP), for allegedly revealing the identity of a rape victim in his book titled 'Nirbhayam'.

The court highlighted that while the name of the victim was not explicitly mentioned, the book revealed extensive details such as the victim's parents' identities, their residence, and the school attended by the victim. This disclosure prima facie constitutes an offense under Section 228A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The court's action was prompted by a petition filed by K.K. Joshua, who had previously lodged a complaint with both a local police station in the state capital and the district police chief.

The petitioner subsequently approached the High Court, which instructed the relevant authorities to review the complaint. Dissatisfied with the lack of a favorable response, he was compelled to seek court intervention to direct the police to register an FIR.

The court after hearing all the sides said, “The reference to the victim as ‘peedippikkapetta penkutti' (molested girl) alongside detailed personal information unmistakably identifies her as the rape victim mentioned in the book,” the court said.