The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has directed Uttar Pradesh government to ensure full security to witnesses in a criminal case and to provide gunner to a judicial officer who was threatened allegedly by accused in Faizabad.
The HC directed gunner be provided to Damodar Singh, a senior Additional District Judge (ADJ) of Faizabd, at the state cost till conclusion of the trial.
The Court issued the order keeping in view the fact that police had found that accused persons were involved in giving threat to the judicial officer.
The court further said that if need be the state may in its discretion provide additional security.
It further left it open to the state government to review the security after conclusion of the trial keeping in view the threat perception to the ADJ.
The order was passed by Justice Sudhir Kumar Saxena on June 28 on an modification application filed by Damodar Singh in a bail case of an accused Amarjeet Yadav.
According to applicant's counsel, the judicial officer had been given threats on his mobile phone regarding which an FIR was lodged and a charge sheet had been submitted against accused Deepu, Dhirendra and Amarjeet.
"Allegation of extending threats to judicial officers has been found true and charge sheet was submitted. It is a serious matter. It is the duty of the High Court to protect its officers from all the agencies and individuals", the court said.
"Threat to a working judge should be a matter of great concern to the state government also. Judges irrespective of their level perform sovereign functions. Any attempt to threaten them is onslaught on authority of the State and is directly related to maintenance of public order", it added.
