The law may insist on independent witnesses and evidence in every criminal case, but the approach of the Bhopal police is quite different. The police have about 10-15 permanent witnesses in their arsenal. In most cases, these selected witnesses of the police remain present at the crime scene and during seizures, an investigation by Dainik Bhaskar has revealed.
In the past 21 months (from May 2022 to January 2024), the Crime Branch has filed 130 FIRs for the seizure of illegal liquor, narcotics, and weapons. Out of these, 80 cases (60%) have Ramchand Kukreja as the witness. Similarly, Haricharan Rai is the witness in 42 cases, and Sanna alias Salim Khan in 41 cases. The police argue that they need to rely on these pocket witnesses because the common people are not ready to become witnesses at the crime scene during seizures. They don't want to get involved in court proceedings. Even if they agree to be witnesses, they often backtrack later due to fear or pressure in court.
Pocket witnesses
In each case, there are two witnesses. However, some witnesses are special. Bhaskar has shared a list of people who are witnesses in multiple police cases.
- Ramchand: 80 cases
- Haricharan: 42 cases
- Sanna alias Salim Khan: 41 cases
- Chand Miyan: 08 cases
- Ranjit Pal: 05 cases
- Gabur Vishwakarma: 06 cases
- Raju Yadav: 06 cases
- Officer Ali: 08 cases
- Ajay Sharma: 03 cases
- Dharmendra Sahu: 07 cases
- Gajraj Mehra: 05 cases
- Brijesh Chandani: 05 cases
- Anwar Ali: 04 cases
- Amit Rajput: 02 cases
- Radhe Singh: 02 cases
- Sunil Khurrod: 02 cases
- Saurabh Prajapati, Fahim Khan, Sumit Vishwakarma, Imran Khan, Ajay Kinkar, Hari Singh, Abhideep Singh, Raja Chugani, Bhan Singh, Saklain Khan, and Sabeej Khan: 1 case each.
Solution for the problem?
"While family members and close relatives become witnesses, ordinary people around the crime scene and seizure site avoid becoming witnesses. In such situations, the police take testimony from those called pocket witnesses. If the common people are provided relief from the difficulties of being witnesses, if testimony is given on a fixed date, and if security is provided, this problem could be significantly alleviated," Dharmendra Chaudhary, Retired DIG, Advocate, High Court, Indore told Dainik Bhaskar.
There are also permanent witnesses in police stations
For both the crime scene and the seizure site, there are permanent witnesses in every police station. These witnesses immediately reach the scene upon police summons. Upon police indication, they sign as witnesses in seizure documents. Statements are recorded just as the police dictate.
