Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi inaugurates Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centre in District Court
Rohit Gupta
Gurdaspur (Punjab), March 27, 2025: Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi, Judge, Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, Administrative Judge, Gurdaspur today inaugurated the working of Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centre in Judicial Court Complex, Gurdaspur in presence of Sh. Rajinder Aggarwal, District & Sessions Judge, Gurdaspur.
Speaking on the occasion, Judge, informed that the Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centre has been constituted as per the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018, which aims to provide safety to Vulnerable Witness based on threat assessment and protection measures.
The Vulnerable Witnesses are those witnesses, who are below age of 18 years or any victim of rape and sexual offences, any witness suffering from mental illeness, any witness perceiving threats or any other witness who have been declared Vulnerable by the Court.
Judge observed that this Centre would be of great help to such vulnerable witnesses and would help them to depose without any fear and threat, which would ensure the quality justice to them.
Rajinder Aggarwal, District & Sessions Judge, Gurdaspur also informed that after the establishment of the Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centre, any witness who perceive any kind of threat may request to the concerned Court for recording his or her statement through this centre. Ld. District & Sessions Judge, Gurdaspur apprised that Vulnerable Witness should be taken to the Court through special route and presented in the Court so that public cannot make contact with them and accused cannot exert any influence on him.
There will be separate sitting arrangements for Vulnerable Witnesses, where he can sit comfortably and wait for his case until their case is received from the Court. Ld. District & Sessions Judge, Gurdaspur apprised that if Vulnerable Witnesses wants his statement can be recorded through Video Conferencing.
Judicial Officers namely Ms. Baljinder Sidhu, Additional District & Sessions Judge, Gurdaspur, Sh. P.S. Rai, Additional District & Sessions Judge, Gurdaspur, Sh. Rajesh Ahluwalia, Civil Judge (Senior Division), Gurdaspur, Sh. Ranjeev Pal Singh Cheema, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Gurdaspur and Ms. Ramneet Kaur, Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Gurdaspur, SSP Gurdaspur Mr Aditya, ADC Dr. Harjinder Singh Bedi were present during inauguration.
Hon’ble Judge also inspected the Courts of Sessions Division, Gurdaspur and interacted with the litigants and heard their grievances. Judge also visited District Bar, Gurdaspur and interacted with all Advocates of District Bar Association, Gurdaspur.