Chandigarh set to implement new criminal laws that will include the establishment of video conferencing stations for witness participation. This initiative aims to streamline legal processes, making it easier and more secure for witnesses to provide their testimonies without the need to be physically present in court.
Chandigarh: Chandigarh implementing a significant change to its judicial and law enforcement systems by introducing Video Conferencing (VC) stations. This initiative will enable both private and public individuals to participate as witnesses in legal proceedings remotely, without the need for physical presence.
This move is expected to revolutionize the way legal processes are conducted in the region, making them more accessible and efficient.
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SSP Kanwardeep Kaur announced during a media briefing about the three new criminal laws at the UT Guest House,
“VC stations will be set up at every police station, court, prison, hospital, and in the offices of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM),”
The three newly implemented laws, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) will be in force starting from July 1.
Under this new framework, any person who witnesses a crime can visit any of the designated video conferencing stations to provide their testimony. The platform, named “Naya Shruti,” will enable video conferencing for trials, allowing witnesses and evidence to be examined digitally. This initiative includes five main components, courts, prisons, hospitals, police stations, and forensic labs.
On the trial day, a link will be generated and shared with all involved parties, allowing them to join the video conferencing session to present their evidence.
Kaur mentioned,
“Training for investigating officers has been in progress since January, supported by the Chandigarh Judicial Academy and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), which designed the training programs. Daily briefings and training sessions are being held at the police station level to ensure all officers are ready for the July 1 launch.”
Along with the video conferencing stations, a new app named “E-Sakshay” has been created to aid investigating officers in documenting searches and seizures at crime scenes. This app, provided to the Chandigarh Police, will be used on mobile tablets given to officers, enabling them to record videos and take photos with GPS and time tagging.
Preserving the authenticity and integrity of digital evidence is crucial for effective investigations. To ensure this, the investigating officer’s presence at the crime scene is documented.
Additionally, the hash value of the digital evidence is recorded to prevent any tampering and provide unaltered evidence to the court. The hash value serves as a tamper-proof mechanism, as any attempt to modify the digital evidence would result in a change in the hash value, alerting the authorities.
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To further strengthen the digital investigation infrastructure, all police stations have been equipped with computers and tablets. Furthermore, starting July 1st, the police stations will organize awareness programs to educate the public about these new initiatives.
These measures aim to enhance the overall digital forensic capabilities and promote transparency in the investigative process.
The implementation of these video conferencing stations, a significant step forward in Chandigarh’s commitment to modernizing its criminal laws and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the judicial process.