Supreme Court Judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai on Wednesday inaugurated a Vulnerable Witness Deposition Complex on the Saket District Courts premises to provide an intimidation-free and friendly atmosphere to minor victims of sexual offences to depose.
This is the second such complex in Delhi after the first one was launched at the Kakardooma District courts in 2012. The Delhi High Court in cooperation with the subordinate courts here has planned to provide such facilities at all the district courts over a period of time in compliance with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court for the protection of witnesses.
Later, at a function in the court complex, Justice Desai said the definition of vulnerable witnesses should be broadened to include those in other cases like survivors of terrorist attacks or victims of kidnapping.
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Citing the trial of a case when she had just joined the bar, Justice Desai said that the case had resulted in the acquittal of the accused as the woman witness, who was being cross-examined by her father, could not continue her deposition because of the atmosphere of fear that the presence of the accused in the court room had created.
The witness first asked for a glass of water, then a chair and then started perspiring. At this, the Judge asked her father to stop the cross-examination, saying ‘enough is enough’.
Delhi High Court Chief Justice G. Rohini said the witnesses are ears and eyes of the criminal justice system. She called for adoption of the witness protection facilities in all the district courts across the country.
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A vulnerable witness is less than 18 years of age. The witness examination facilities are such that the witnesses are kept away from the direct purview of the accused. However, the accused are given full opportunities to defend themselves.
According to the note issued by the Saket District courts authorities, as many as 700 vulnerable witnesses have been examined at the Karkardooma District Courts’ facility since its launching.