No protection for murder witness

The Bombay high court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by Vijay Jadhav of Satara seeking police protection for himself claiming he had received death threats from unknown people. Jadhav is a prime witness in a murder case in which NCP leader from Satara Udayanraje Bhosale was acquitted. An appeal is pending in the HC against the acquittal.

A division bench of justices PV Hardas and AM Thipsay dismissed the plea primarily based on the report filed by the Satara crime branch. It said there was no threat perception to the petitioner and thus security can’t be provided to him.

The bench, however, has directed the police to act promptly to protect the petitioner in case he receives any threat via SMS or call. Police patrolling near his residence should be intensified to ensure no untoward incident occurs, it added.

Jadhav, who is into transport business, is an eyewitness in the 1999 murder case of corporator Sharad alias Appa Leve. Udayanraje Bhosale, who was an accused, came to be acquitted in 2001. With the state government’s appeal against the acquittal pending, the Satara police commissioner had withdrawn the protection given to Jadhav on the grounds that there is no threat to his life.

Advocate P Runwal appearing for Jadhav said, “This will set a wrong precedent in several sensitive cases and witnesses may not come forward to testify if the police fail to protect them.” 

@plumbermushi