HC notices to Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh on witness protection plan

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday issued notices to Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on a plea seeking directions for implementation of Witness Protection Scheme, 2018, which was approved by the Supreme Court.
Justice Haripal Verma of the HC issued notices while hearing a petition filed by Mahender Singh Chawla, a key prosecution witness in the rape case against the self-styled god-man, Asaram Bapu and his son Narayan Sai.
The petitioner had miraculously survived a murder attempt on his life to testify against Asaram Bapu and his son Narayan Sai in horrifying cases of rape of a child and two sisters. In March 2017, the SC had directed Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to provide adequate security to the petitioner.
According to the petitioner, on December 19, 2019, he had filed an application through the Panipat district and sessions judge before the appropriate authorities in Haryana for taking protection measures under clauses 4, 7, 11 and 15 of the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018.