Thane cops in dark on video rule for accident probe

THANE: The Thane police are clueless about the government orders that permit them to take account of witnesses in a road accident through video-recording, even six months after the notification was issued.
Information gleamed by former BJP legislator Sanjay Kelkar through advocate Suyash Pradhan has revealed that the police have not carried out a single video-recording of witnesses or good samaritans in accidents.
“The government resolution was issued in the second week of November 2013. However, the police are clueless of the rule, which incidentally would not only help in their investigations but also create confidence among the general public,” Kelkar told TOI.
He recently met Thane police commissioner Vijay Kamble and urged him to create awareness of this notification among police officials.
Kamble has taken Kelkar’s suggestion and acknowledged the need for creating awareness of the new rule among police officials.
The government resolution (GR) states, “As per the 2009 amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, 1976, the statement of a witness can be recorded through any audio-visual device. However, in case of accidents, the statements are not recorded this way, thereby forcing witnesses and those who have helped the injured to go to the police station and the court time and again.”
The resolution further adds that due to this reason several people do not help accident victims or come forward as witnesses.
“The first hour after an accident is called the ‘golden hour’. If treatment is received during this time, several lives can be saved,” the resolution states. Through this order, witnesses can now either depose through video-conferencing or a phone. They need not go to the police station or court to depose.