KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has directed the Special Investigation Team probing cases registered after the publication of the Justice Hema Committee report to appoint a nodal officer.
The victims and witnesses shall contact the officer in cases of harassment by the accused or any other individuals.
A Division Bench comprising Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice CS Sudha also directed the SIT to give adequate publicity to the name and contact details of the nodal officer.
The move will help the victims or witnesses to immediately report instances of threat or intimidation during the pendency of the investigation.
The Court issued the order when the counsel representing the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) submitted that many of the victims faced such issues. WCC also expressed that there is a need for a mechanism to ensure the safety of witnesses and victims.
"The SIT shall also file a report regarding the steps taken and the action taken by the nodal officer, if any. The nodal officer acts as the first point of contact," said the Bench.