Witness protection in Delhi: What's the gap between promise, reality?
Despite having a special witness protection program, Delhi has seen three important witnesses in major crime cases killed over the past year—including one shot in broad daylight while sitting in his car.
The Supreme Court has called witnesses the police's "eyes and ears," but these murders highlight how vulnerable people still feel when helping with investigations.
Scheme vs reality
The Delhi Witness Protection Scheme promises things like hiding witness identities, providing security, and safe relocation.
But experts say weak threat assessments and poor follow-through on protection orders mean these safeguards often don't work as intended.
Even though there are dedicated teams and funding in place, many witnesses remain at risk—showing there's a big gap between what's promised on paper and what happens in real life.