2025:UHC:7918-DB HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND AT NAINITAL HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE SRI G.NARENDAR AND HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE SUBHASH UPADHYAY Writ Petition Criminal No. 965 of 2025 4th September, 2025 Kuldeep Bhardwaz ----Petitioner Versus State Of Uttarakhand and others ----Respondents ------------------------------------------------------------------- Presence:- Mr. Bilal Ahmed, learned counsel for the petitioner Mr. J.S. Virk, learned Deputy Advocate General with Mr. Rakesh Joshi, Brief Holder for the State. ------------------------------------------------------------------- JUDGMENT: (per Sri G. Narendar, C.J.) Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Deputy Advocate General for the State of Uttarakhand. 2. It is submitted by the learned Deputy Advocate General for the State that the petitioner had approached this Court, on earlier occasion, in WPCRL No.139 of 2023 and that a Coordinate Bench of this Court, vide judgment dated 20.01.2023, had ordered as below:- “3. According to the petitioner’s case, he is a witness in the FIR. If any threat is being extended to the petitioner, he can very well file an application under the Witness Protection Scheme, as promulgated, pursuant to the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of 1 2025:UHC:7918-DB Mahendra Chawla & others vs. Union of India & others, (2019) 14 SCC 615. 4. With these observations, the instant writ petition stands disposed of.” 3. It is further submitted by the learned Deputy Advocate General that pursuant to the above order, protection had been provided to the petitioner in the State of Uttarakhand. He would submit that such protection will continue, provided any threat perception to the petitioner still exists. 4. The said submission is placed on record. 5. Accordingly, we direct the S.S.P. Haridwar to assess the threat, if any, to the life and limb of the petitioner, and provide necessary protection, if it is found that there is a threat to the life and limb of the petitioner. 6. The writ Petition stands ordered accordingly. 7. Pending application, if any, also stands disposed of. (G. NARENDAR, C.J.) (SUBHASH UPADHYAY, J.) Dated: 04.09.2025 Rajni 2 RAJINI GUSAIN Digitally signed by RAJINI GUSAIN DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND, ou=HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND, 2.5.4.20=97cfa6e4cbd49c07b876db484 48ac3701a9ae475a2547e4b7f1d9b1f17 d01342, postalCode=263001, st=UTTARAKHAND, serialNumber=8D039BC77BD1A2222B4 DF4FC80D4557562F95BEBA013F53061 6A158A0A878BD8, cn=RAJINI GUSAIN Date: 2025.09.13 15:21:35 +05'30'