The Prosecution Directorate of Uttar Pradesh will announce a "witness compensation scheme" on January 26 for those witnesses who may have suffered attacks during the course of a trial.
Announcing this here today, Lalit Mudgal, Senior Prosecution Officer (SPO) Gautam Budh Nagar said that the scheme was aimed at better protection of the witnesses who play a crucial role in bringing the rogue elements to book.
He said that the 'witness protection helpline' 09454456512 will be made more effective.
"The witness compensation scheme proposed by DG Prosecution Surya Kumar will be officially announced on Republic Day. The witnesses injured during the trial will be compensated financially or other means suitable to them," Mudgal said.
"In many cases, witnesses have complained of threat and assault. With this scheme, witness protection becomes a top priority of the state," he said.
The SPO noted that 45 witnesses from across the state, on whose statements many accused were awarded death penalty, will be felicitated on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the DG Prosecution suggested that there should be a social organization comprising crime victims and witnesses.
"The organization will be better placed in spreading awareness and motivating witnesses to help prosecution to take the case to conviction," he said.
Senior Prosecution Officers Daya Shankar and Ram Tripathi noted that another organization is being planned comprising police personnel, administrative officer, prosecution officer, a psychologist and crime victims as its members.
"Witness identity should remain secretive and their security should be ensured by the administration and police as top priority," Pramod Kumar Verma of Gautam Buddha Nagar District Bar Association said.
D S Sharma, District Government Counsel said, "Another suggestion is to ensure safety of victims and witnesses by village committees. The victims should be called at the committee once in a month and his problem heard and resolved. The Police station head of that particular area and prosecution officer should head the committee meetings.
