NEW DELHI: Survivors and witnesses of sexual assault, who are foreign nationals, can from now on give their statements by video conferencing to expedite trials in Delhi courts. This decision was taken after Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal held a meeting of the MEA, the DSLSA, the police, the FSL, and the home, law and WCD departments to seek their cooperation in setting up necessary mechanisms for early production of such survivors and witnesses in courts.
The move came after a court passed an order urging stakeholders to do the needful after it found that the police had failed to produce survivors and witnesses who were foreign nationals before it. “The DCW shall do its best to ensure better mechanisms on the issues to reduce the problems faced by foreigners who are survivors of sexual violence,” Maliwal said.
One of the major handicaps of the police is that they are dependent on the MEA for production of foreign victims and witness. But, the MEA has rules stating that ‘a minimum six months of period is required to serve summons to foreign nationals’.