BHUBANESWAR: The state Crime Branch has drawn new guidelines for cover of prosecution witnesses and requested all district SPs to shape dedicated squad of law enforcement officials, who may also be connected with witnesses when they depose in courts. Crime Branch additionally pitched for building of witness leisure sheds in police stations and counselling centres for them across the state.
Director basic of police R P Sharma stated safety and security of witnesses is extremely very important to ensure higher conviction fee. “We are committed for the safety of witnesses. Conviction fee may bog down if witnesses flip antagonistic. Police protection can be provided to witnesses if there may be input referring to risk to their lives,” Sharma informed TOI.
At the convention of senior law enforcement officials here in March, Sharma expressed worry over low conviction fee and categorically requested SPs to unfold awareness concerning the provision of supplying security to witnesses. Data of national crime data bureau (NCRB) portrays a sorry image of the state’s conviction fee. In 2016, Odisha’s conviction fee stood at 10.four p.c, which is 2d lowest after West Bengal’s 10.1 p.c. After of entirety of court trial into 37,549 instances in 2016, best 3907 instances ended in conviction and 33,642 instances in acquittal.
Additional director basic of police (Crime Branch) Santosh Upadhyay stated SPs were urged to stay squads in readiness for offering security to witnesses. “We have requested the SPs to represent dedicated groups of law enforcement officials to observe day by day court court cases in prison instances so as to provide protection to witnesses coming to depose proof,” Upadhyay stated.
According to the usual working procedure (SOP), adequate police protection may also be provided to the witnesses in addition to victims in sensational instances, including crimes in opposition to ladies. “We have requested SPs to advise their investigating officers to sensitise witnesses to remain alert and inform native police stations in case they face security comparable issues,” Upadhyay stated.
Experts stated police hardly ever takes the ache of offering security to witnesses. “We up to now have now not come across sensational assault on any witness in Odisha. But cops, most commonly in rural house hardly ever come to the rescue of witnesses, who are pressured to show antagonistic in courts,” stated attorney Siddharth Das. “We best see circulars and directions from police. But the directions are hardly ever completed on ground,” Das stated.
Crime Branch stated any grievance of the violence of the SOP might be addressed critically. “We have clearly written within the round that any deviation on this regard might be viewed adversely,” some other CB officer stated.
According to the SOP, police will provide assistance and logistic enhance to prosecution witnesses in attending court on date of trial. Awareness programmes might be held for cover of witnesses and inspire them to depose in court with worry or favour. Video convention of witness, as permissible beneath law, could also be taken as much as save time of the witnesses. Culprits should be booked beneath segment 195 (A) of IPC on every occasion they're discovered threatening witnesses to present false observation in court, the SOP read.
Director basic of police R P Sharma stated safety and security of witnesses is extremely very important to ensure higher conviction fee. “We are committed for the safety of witnesses. Conviction fee may bog down if witnesses flip antagonistic. Police protection can be provided to witnesses if there may be input referring to risk to their lives,” Sharma informed TOI.
At the convention of senior law enforcement officials here in March, Sharma expressed worry over low conviction fee and categorically requested SPs to unfold awareness concerning the provision of supplying security to witnesses. Data of national crime data bureau (NCRB) portrays a sorry image of the state’s conviction fee. In 2016, Odisha’s conviction fee stood at 10.four p.c, which is 2d lowest after West Bengal’s 10.1 p.c. After of entirety of court trial into 37,549 instances in 2016, best 3907 instances ended in conviction and 33,642 instances in acquittal.
Additional director basic of police (Crime Branch) Santosh Upadhyay stated SPs were urged to stay squads in readiness for offering security to witnesses. “We have requested the SPs to represent dedicated groups of law enforcement officials to observe day by day court court cases in prison instances so as to provide protection to witnesses coming to depose proof,” Upadhyay stated.
According to the usual working procedure (SOP), adequate police protection may also be provided to the witnesses in addition to victims in sensational instances, including crimes in opposition to ladies. “We have requested SPs to advise their investigating officers to sensitise witnesses to remain alert and inform native police stations in case they face security comparable issues,” Upadhyay stated.
Experts stated police hardly ever takes the ache of offering security to witnesses. “We up to now have now not come across sensational assault on any witness in Odisha. But cops, most commonly in rural house hardly ever come to the rescue of witnesses, who are pressured to show antagonistic in courts,” stated attorney Siddharth Das. “We best see circulars and directions from police. But the directions are hardly ever completed on ground,” Das stated.
Crime Branch stated any grievance of the violence of the SOP might be addressed critically. “We have clearly written within the round that any deviation on this regard might be viewed adversely,” some other CB officer stated.
According to the SOP, police will provide assistance and logistic enhance to prosecution witnesses in attending court on date of trial. Awareness programmes might be held for cover of witnesses and inspire them to depose in court with worry or favour. Video convention of witness, as permissible beneath law, could also be taken as much as save time of the witnesses. Culprits should be booked beneath segment 195 (A) of IPC on every occasion they're discovered threatening witnesses to present false observation in court, the SOP read.
Crime Branch takes up cudgels for protection of witnesses
![Crime Branch takes up cudgels for protection of witnesses]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
May 24, 2018
Rating:
