Sector 10 Blast Case: NIA court declares 26 witnesses ‘protected’, orders agency to keep their identity ‘secret’

Finding the security and safety of witnesses “necessary”, a special National Investigating Agency (NIA) court in Chandigarh has categorised 26 witnesses in the Sector 10 grenade blast case as “protected” and ordered to keep their identity “secret”.

The NIA has moved an application through its Special Public Prosecutor Lokesh Narang for the protection of a witness as per Section 44 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, read with Section 17 of the NIA Act, 2018.

Hearing the plea, the court said, “Since security and safety of witnesses are necessary, their identities are required to be kept secret; therefore, this request of the prosecution is hereby allowed.”

“26 witnesses are categorised as protected witnesses…Further, the documents connected to these witnesses are al