Apex court questions Haryana, Rajasthan on witnesses’ safety

Questioning the failures of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in implementing the witness protection schemes till now, the Supreme Court on Friday asked them to give security to the witnesses in rape cases against Asaram.

“It’s high time now, why are you not implementing the witness protection scheme? The witnesses in criminal cases need to be protected,” said a bench of justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan. Granting Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana the last opportunity to file their replies to a plea by four key witnesses in a rape case of minors allegedly involving Asaram Bapu, being tried in Jodhpur, the bench asked them to reply within four weeks.

The court also asked Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to provide security to the witnesses in the case against Asaram residing there. While UP has three such witnesses, Haryana has one. The counsel appearing for Rajasthan said the ongoing trial of the case at Jodhpur is almost over.

Advocate Utsav Singh Bains appearing for four witnesses in the case sought a SIT probe into the instances of attacks and disappearances of the witnesses in cases against Asaram and pleaded for expeditious framing of the national witness protection guidelines.

It’s high time now, why are you not implementing the witness protection scheme? SC BENCH OF JUSTICES A K SIKRI AND ASHOK BHUSHAN