NEW DELHI: There is a need to bring some provisions in Whistleblowers Act to protect witnesses that would provide confidence to those who expose corruption, Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Chowdary said here today.
He also emphasised upon making public aware on the procedure to file complaints under Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informer (PIDPI), widely known as whistleblower resolution.
Chowdary said a whistleblower is the one who has the direct and personal information or leads which are very useful in an investigation.
“In my view it is only that category of people need to be brought into the whistleblower not anybody and everybody who files petition.
“The other important thing and I am concerned more about is the witness protection. The witness is a person or an expert is a person who stake their life. They stand in a witness box and tell the truth. They tell the truth that could lead to a conviction,” he said addressing a roundtable interaction with Chief Vigilance Officers of public sector undertakings and Chief Compliance Officers of private companies.
Chowdary said witnesses may have to face consequences whether it is a criminal case or civil.
“We need to bring some provisions in our Whistleblowers Act which would have an overriding effect on the Evidence Act…Some mechanism unless we bring in, it may be difficult to give confidence to whistleblowers or witnesses,” he said.
There is a need to apply some filters as to who needs protection under the PIDPI or whistleblowers Act “not anybody and everybody who files petition” should get it, he added.(agencies)
Follow our WhatsApp channel