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Court Hearing in Madvi Hidma Encounter India Gate Protest: The sixth accused arrested during the protest against Hidma encounter at Delhi’s India Gate was neither sent to jail nor to a juvenile home. The court has ordered to keep him in a ‘safe house’. A safe house is a secure government shelter, where sensitive accused or witnesses are kept for security reasons. The court took his age and security as the basis.
New Delhi. Protestors arrested for sloganeering at India Gate and attacking police in support of Naxalite commander Madvi Hidma were produced in Patiala House Court today. In the case related to duty path police station, everyone was taken to the court of Judge Aridman Singh Cheema. Five accused were sent to jail in judicial custody for two days. However, the sixth accused was sent to the safe house. Usually an accused is kept in custody either in jail or, if he is a minor, in a juvenile detention center. But here the question arises that what is this safe house? Let us tell you about it in detail.
Judge ordered to send to safe house
Police told the court that the sixth accused has claimed to be a minor. This is the reason why, following the law, the court has ordered to send this accused, who is said to be a minor, to a ‘safe house’ instead of sending him to jail or police custody. In any criminal case, arrangements have been made for ‘safe house’ or observation home to keep minors separate from adult accused and to provide them special legal protection. This arrangement has been given under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
What is safe house?
1. Different from normal gel: ‘Safe House’ is not a normal jail or police lockup. Its main objective is not to punish but to ensure care, protection and rehabilitation of such teenagers. While sending a child to judicial custody, it is ensured that he remains completely away from the criminal environment and contact with adult prisoners.
2. Legal Mandatory: As soon as the claim of an accused being a minor comes to light, the court immediately sends him to the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). The court ensures that the minor is not kept in any regular jail or lockup until the JJB confirms his age.
3. Security and Investigations: It is while staying in the ‘safe house’ that the police and child welfare officers check the age certificates of the minor. If it is proved in the investigation that the accused is actually a minor, then his case is handed over to the Juvenile Justice Board for further proceedings. If he turns out to be an adult then he is sent back on judicial remand.
