SC approves witness protection scheme on Dec 5, says Hansraj Ahir

The absence of a witness protection programme was one of the reasons for the low conviction rate in criminal cases in the country, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir, however, said a witness protection scheme has been prepared by the home ministry and submitted to the Supreme Court, which approved it on December 5, 2018.

"Lack of witness protection is one of the reasons amongst others for low conviction rate," Ahir said in a written reply.

He said the witness protection scheme, approved by the Supreme Court, has come into effect from the date of the judgement.

According to a home ministry statistics, the conviction rate in IPC crimes in 2016 and 2015 was 46.8 per cent and 46.9 per cent respectively while the conviction rate in 2014 was 45.1 per cent.