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Ajay Kumar @ Ajay Rana vs. State of NCT of Delhi & Anr.

Writ Petition (Criminal) · 2026:DHC:8272Decided 24 Sept 2026New Delhi Bench
W.P.(CRL) 3003/2026CNR: DLHC010459302026
Justice Girish Kathpalia

Background

The petitioner, a complainant (de facto) in a CBI case, had applied to the Principal District & Sessions Judge, Rouse Avenue Courts, for police protection under the Witness Protection Scheme, but no decision had been taken for several days after his application.

Decision Breakdown

Rather than deciding the protection request itself, the High Court directed the competent authority (the District & Sessions Judge) to decide the pending representation as expeditiously as possible, and in any event within one week, with a copy of the order sent directly to that authority for compliance.

Lesson Learnt

Where a statutory scheme (like the Witness Protection Scheme) designates a specific authority to decide protection requests, courts will typically direct that authority to act promptly rather than deciding the substantive protection question themselves.

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