The
Hindu: Mumbai: Wednesday, 10 February 2016.
The Bombay
High Court on Monday told the State to make up its mind and come up with a
clear policy to protect whistleblowers, RTI activists and witnesses who depose
in criminal trials.
The statement
was made when the advocate appearing for the State submitted yet another
revised draft of the Witness Protection Bill to a division bench of Justices
Abhay Oka and CV Bhadang. The bench was hearing a suo motu petition after
Satish Shetty, RTI activist known for exposing land scams in Maharashtra, was
killed.
In the
previous hearing, the court had suggested that the ambit of the Bill should
also include protection of police witnesses, who depose in the court and also
investigating officers who face threats.
The bill
draft submitted on Monday did have the addition point that the names of
witnesses will not be disclosed till the filing of the charge sheet.
It also
stated that an investigating officer or any other officer, who has the
knowledge that the witnesses needs physical protection, but overlooks it, can
be punished with imprisonment up to a year and a fine of Rs 5,000.
Chalking out
the procedure for providing protection to the witnesses, the draft bill also
states that once an application is filed seeking protection, the designated
committee will look into the threat perception, do a detailed inquiry into it,
and submit a report in seven days. After that, the assistant commissioner or
deputy district superintendent of police will decide the category of
protection.
The court,
however, told the State government to have some clarity and make up its mind on
the policy.