1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRI. WRIT PETITION NO. 429 OF 2009 Shailaja Dattajirao Jadhav & Anr. ...Petitioners Versus The State of Maharashtra & Ors. ...Respondents Mr. Uday P. Warunjikar for the Petitioners Mrs. P.H. Kantharia, Additional Public Prosecutor, for the State. CORAM: B ILAL NAZKI and A.R. JOSHI, JJ. DATE: SEPTEMBER 17, 2009 P.C.:- There are about 19 cases pending in different Courts in the State of Maharashtra under the Pre-Conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994. It appears that the State employed a method, by which certain persons volunteered to go to the doctors and laboratories for the purpose of sex determination test. If the doctors or the laboratories showed their willingness to carry such a test, action against them was taken. These witnesses were sponsored witnesses, and in terms of relevant orders, are known as decoys, 2 and had come forth voluntarily to assist the State in order to curb the menace of female foeticide. 2. This petition has been filed by such witnesses, who want all cases to be clubbed at same place, so that they have to go to only one court for testifying against the accused persons. The cases are pending in 5 or 6 districts and it will be unjust to the accused of these cases if the cases are clubbed at one place. 3. Therefore, we do not think that this petition can be allowed. However, we direct that if these witnesses are required to be taken to the Courts for adducing evidence, arrangements for their stay, travel shall be made. In addition to travelling and stay, they may also consider paying them a commensurate fee. 4. With these observations, the petition is disposed of. BILAL NAZKI, J. A.R. JOSHI, J.