Team-BHP - Good Samaritans' identities can't be kept secret: Centre

Quote:

NEW DELHI: Good Samaritans who rush accident victims to hospital or are the first to report the mishap to police cannot be given protection from disclosure of identity as it would have serious impact on investigation of crimes, the Centre has informed the Supreme Court.

The Centre's response came to a PIL by NGO 'SaveLife Foundation', which had sought enactment of a Good Samaritan law to protect first responders to accidents or first informants to police from harassment during investigations, followed by repeated summons to depose during long-winding trial proceedings.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...w/16976185.cms

I think the government has responded without giving proper thought to the matter. The supposed "difficulties" in police investigations will pale in comparison to the lives that could be saved on our roads if we have a Good Samaritan law, considering we have one of the highest road fatalities in the world.

This will only discourage the actual good samaritans from acting the way humanity demands. They may arrive at the spot of a horrific accident, with a genuine intention of helping the injured, and then back away thinking that they may get entangled in all the investigation.

And there is no need to mention the kind of harassment one goes through in an investigation like this, and the sometimes bizarre turn of events where the innocent gets blamed. Everyone is aware of these things, and this ruling is only going to ward off the good people.

Sorry if I am being too pessimistic, but I honestly do not see a good part of this ruling. I think the govt, trying to implement better crime investigation, is actually hampering the well being of mishap victims.