Bombay HC: Government to frame guidelines for protection of whistle blowers and witnesses
30 Jan, 2013A division bench of justices A M Khanwilkar and K K Tated of the Bombay High Court has suggested to Maharashtra government to frame guidelines for protection of whistle-blowers and witnesses in "sensitive" cases. The division bench had suo motu taken up the issue after the murder of Pune-based RTI activist Satish Shetty and had laid down certain measures to be undertaken by the government. The HC had directed for a committee to be set up to look into the issue. However, the state government is yet to frame the required guidelines in compliance of the HC order. The bench has directed the additional chief secretary of Home department to file his reply in a week and inform by when the guidelines will be formed.
The state government was directed to set up a special committee to frame the guidelines and identify the social activists and whistle blowers across the state through a transparent process
in May 2010 by the High Court.
A call was made to prepare a database containing the names of all activists who have in the past complained of threat and those under high risk. There is a need to provide police protection to any identified social activist/ whistle-blower facing threat or having been attacked.