New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed all the states and Union territories to set up special centres to record the statements of blind, deaf or mute witnesses so that people accused of crimes cannot get away citing improper examination of such witnesses.
The bench of Justices A.K. Goel and U.U. Lalit passed the recent order while reversing the acquittal of a Maharashtra resident who had raped a 14-year-old deaf and mute girl in 2008.
"There should be special centres for examination of vulnerable witnesses in criminal cases in the interest of conducive environment in court so as to encourage a vulnerable victim to make a statement," the court said, accepting a suggestion from amicus curiae (friend of the court) Shirin Khajuria.
"Such centres ought to be set up with all necessary safeguards. Our attention has been drawn to guidelines issued by Delhi High Court for recording evidence of vulnerable witnesses… and also the fact that four special centres have been set up at Delhi for the purpose." The court added: "Setting up of one centre for vulnerable witnesses may perhaps be required almost in every district…. At least two such centres in the jurisdiction of each high court may be set up within three months from today. Thereafter, more such centres may be set up as per decision of the high courts."
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