The Orissa High Court on Monday restrained the media from publishing the names of the army captain and his fiancée who were allegedly manhandled and physically abused in a police station here.

Hearing a public interest litigation, the high court also said it would not interfere in the matter as the state government had ordered a judicial probe.

The court also declined the Odisha government’s request to monitor the probe by the crime branch of the state police into the incident. “We don’t find any reason to monitor the probe. The court expects that the investigating agency shall act independently and fairly,’ Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh said.

The high court has also directed the additional director-general (modernisation) to submit a status report on the CCTV cameras installed and functioning in the state. There is an allegation that the Bharatpur police station, where the alleged atrocities took place, didn’t have the adequate number of CCTV cameras.

The high court will take up the case on October 9.

Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash, a retired high court judge who has been appointed the head of judicial inquiry commission, said: “No one should indulge in the character assassination of any woman in the social media. According to our culture, we should not malign the character of any woman we don’t even know.”

On being asked whether the videos in the social media can be taken as an act of evidence, Justice Dash said: “Video can be doctored. Let us see what evidence is coming before the commission during the course of inquiry.”

The couple’s parents have welcomed the court’s directives and Justice Dash’s observations.

Expressing hope of getting justice, Brigadier (retired) Antaryami Pradhan, father of the woman, told reporters: “I am happy with the development. The culprits are trying to assassinate the character of my daughter by selectively releasing the video clips. I have urged the chief minister to take action as per the law. I am assured of getting justice.”