‘Painful parallels of Nirbhaya case’: Supreme Court takes suo motu cognisance of rape cases in Delhi
The Supreme Court said the right to live with dignity and without fear forms part of the fundamental rights guaranteed to every person.
- Sep 28, 2026,
- Updated Sep 28, 2026 12:39 PM IST
The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of recent rape cases in Delhi and Delhi-NCR, saying the incidents were a “painful reminder” of the 2012 Nirbhaya case and raised serious questions over public safety and law enforcement.
A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran took note of the rape of a 16-year-old girl on a moving bus travelling from Greater Noida to Delhi. The court said the recent incidents pointed to a systematic failure to ensure basic public safety and pulled up the Delhi Police and government over assaults involving minors.
“One cannot help but draw painful parallels to the Nirbhaya incident of 2012,” the bench said. "These incidents starkly highlight a failure of law enforcement. Public spaces, including parks and buses, cannot be permitted to become zones of high risk due to lack of illumination, poor surveillance and other administrative facilities," it said.
The court said the right to live with dignity and without fear forms part of the fundamental rights guaranteed to every person. It also criticised statements by public representatives responding to the cases, saying expressions of concern were insufficient. “Expressing solidarity is not a solution. What is required is a measurable response,” it observed.
Four rape cases involving minors have been reported in Delhi over the past two weeks.
DON'T MISS | LSR moves classes online as students raise safety concerns after gangrape near campus
In one case, a 17-year-old girl who went to meet a friend in north-west Delhi’s Swaroop Nagar on September 10 was allegedly gang-raped and murdered. Police said she was stabbed eight times. Four suspects, including three minors, have been arrested.
A six-year-old girl was allegedly raped on Deshbandhu Gupta Road on September 14, while an 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped inside a tailor’s shop in Sadar Bazaar on September 17. The accused in both cases were arrested.
On September 21, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three men posing as police personnel inside Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Temple. All three accused have been arrested.
Following the Kalkaji case, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu ordered a safety audit of all city parks within a week, focusing on lighting, security, patrolling and cleanliness. Pink Police personnel were also ordered to be deployed around parks.
The Supreme Court also noted the August 4 rape of a 16-year-old Class 11 student on a bus travelling from Greater Noida to Delhi. The driver and conductor allegedly raped her during the journey and were subsequently arrested. The bus was seized for forensic examination.
The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of recent rape cases in Delhi and Delhi-NCR, saying the incidents were a “painful reminder” of the 2012 Nirbhaya case and raised serious questions over public safety and law enforcement.
A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran took note of the rape of a 16-year-old girl on a moving bus travelling from Greater Noida to Delhi. The court said the recent incidents pointed to a systematic failure to ensure basic public safety and pulled up the Delhi Police and government over assaults involving minors.
“One cannot help but draw painful parallels to the Nirbhaya incident of 2012,” the bench said. "These incidents starkly highlight a failure of law enforcement. Public spaces, including parks and buses, cannot be permitted to become zones of high risk due to lack of illumination, poor surveillance and other administrative facilities," it said.
The court said the right to live with dignity and without fear forms part of the fundamental rights guaranteed to every person. It also criticised statements by public representatives responding to the cases, saying expressions of concern were insufficient. “Expressing solidarity is not a solution. What is required is a measurable response,” it observed.
Four rape cases involving minors have been reported in Delhi over the past two weeks.
DON'T MISS | LSR moves classes online as students raise safety concerns after gangrape near campus
In one case, a 17-year-old girl who went to meet a friend in north-west Delhi’s Swaroop Nagar on September 10 was allegedly gang-raped and murdered. Police said she was stabbed eight times. Four suspects, including three minors, have been arrested.
A six-year-old girl was allegedly raped on Deshbandhu Gupta Road on September 14, while an 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped inside a tailor’s shop in Sadar Bazaar on September 17. The accused in both cases were arrested.
On September 21, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three men posing as police personnel inside Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Temple. All three accused have been arrested.
Following the Kalkaji case, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu ordered a safety audit of all city parks within a week, focusing on lighting, security, patrolling and cleanliness. Pink Police personnel were also ordered to be deployed around parks.
The Supreme Court also noted the August 4 rape of a 16-year-old Class 11 student on a bus travelling from Greater Noida to Delhi. The driver and conductor allegedly raped her during the journey and were subsequently arrested. The bus was seized for forensic examination.