S

UBJ
ECT:
-EVI
DENCEL
AW
T
OPI
C :
- "WI
TNE
SS"
S
ubmi
tt
edby
- S
ubmi
tt
edt
o-
Pr
ana
yTr
ipa
thi Ms
.Rouna
kShr
iva
sta
v
Cl
ass
-B.
COML
L.B8t
hse
m
Rol
lNo-161073612
ABSTRACT:

Awi
tnesswhogi
vest
est
imonyt
ofact
sseenbyhi
miscal
l
edaney
e
wi
tness,
aney
ewi
tnessi
saper
sonwhosawt
heact
,factort
ransact
iont
o
whi
chhet
est
if
ies.Aney
ewi
tnessmustbecompet
ent(
legal
l
yfi
t)and
qual
i
fiedt
otest
if
yincour
t.Awi
tnesswhowasi
ntoxi
cat
edori
nsaneatt
he
t
imet
heev
entoccur
redwi
l
lbepr
event
edf
rom t
est
if
ying,r
egar
dlessof
whet
her he or she was t
he onl
y ey
ewi
tness t
o t
he occur
rence.
I
dent
if
icat
ionofanaccusedi
nCour
tbyan„
Eyewi
tness‟i
saser
ious
mat
terandt
hechancesofaf
alsei
dent
if
icat
ionar
ever
yhi
gh.Wher
ea
casehangsont
heev
idenceofasi
ngl
eey
ewi
tnessi
tmaybeenought
o
sust
aint
heconv
ict
iongi
venst
erl
i
ngt
est
imonyofacompet
ent
,honest
manal
thoughasar
uleofpr
udencecour
tscal
lforcor
robor
ati
on.“
Iti
sa
pl
ati
tudet
osayt
hatwi
tnesseshav
etobewei
ghedandnotcount
edsi
nce
qual
i
tymat
ter
smor
ethanquant
it
yinhumanaf
fai
rs.

Key
wor
ds:Ev
idence,
ident
if
icat
ion,
wit
ness,
test
imony
,cor
robor
ati
on
I
NTRODUCTI
ON

Wi
tness,
thr
oughages,
hasbeenakeypl
ayeri
nthepur
sui
tofj
ust
ice
del
i
ver
y.The f
undament
als ofj
ust
ice necessi
tat
ethatt
he t
rut
h and
i
mpar
ti
ali
tymustbequi
ntessenceofj
ust
ice.Thi
sbr
ingst
her
oleofan
onl
ookerort
hir
dpar
tyaswi
tnesst
oconf
ir
m orr
epor
ttocr
imi
nalj
ust
ice
agenci
est
hei
ngr
edi
ent
soft
hei
nci
dent
.Thesanct
it
yoft
hest
atement
s
madebyt
hewi
tnessi
sconsi
der
edt
obecor
rectandf
act
ualast
heyar
e
made underoat
h.Hence t
he r
ole ofwi
tness has been par
amount
i
mpor
tancei
nassi
sti
ngt
hecour
seofj
ust
ice.

AI
M ANDOBJECTI
VES:

1.Tocri
ti
cal
l
ystudythesect
ionsrelat
ingtoey
ewi
tnesst
est
imony
.
Tolooki
ntothel
imit
ati
onofthisprovi
sions

Toappr
aisev
ari
ousar
ti
clesandcasesr
elat
ingt
osol
ewi
tness.

HYPOTHESI
S:

Awi
tnessshoul
dbewei
ghedandnotcount
edbecausei
tist
hequal
i
tyandnott
he
quant
it
ywhi
chmat
ter
s.
RESEARCHMETHODOLOGY:

Thi
sisadoct
ri
nal
resear
chandal
lmat
eri
alscol
l
ect
edar
esecondar
ydat
a.Quest
ion:

Resear
chquest
ion:
Canconv
ict
ionbasedonasi
ngl
eey
e-wi
tnessbemader
eli
abl
e?

CHAPTER1:
HISTORI
CALDEVELOPMENT

I
nanci
entscr
ipt
uresv
ari
ousmeansofpr
oofwer
ecl
assi
fi
edashumananddi
vi
ne.
Thehumanmeansofpr
oofwer
esubdi
vi
dedi
ntodocument
s,possessi
onand
wi
tnesses.Thef
amouswor
kofYaj
nav
alky
aenumer
atest
hreemeansofpr
oof
.It
al
so di
rect
sev
en f
ort
he compar
ison ofhandwr
it
ing .Howev
er,i
n or
dert
o
under
standt
her
olepl
ayedbyt
hewi
tnessi
nIndi
anCr
imi
nalJust
iceSy
stem we
hav
etot
racet
hehi
stor
yofLaw ofEv
idencei
nthecount
ry.Fort
hiswehav
eto
st
udyt
hesubj
ectr
efer
ri
ngt
othr
eedi
ff
erentper
iods,
namel
y:
-

Wi
tnessi
nAnci
entHi
nduper
iod

Wi
tnessdur
ingMusl
i
m Rul
e
Lekhy
a(Document
aryEv
idence)

sLekhy
Thi aordocument
aryev
idencewasf
urt
hercl
assi
fi
edi
ntot
hreecat
egor
ies,
namel
y,Raj
asaksi
ka,
Sasaksi
kaandAsaksi
ka.

i
)Raj
asaksi
ka

Raj
asaksi
kai
sadocumentwhi
chi
sexecut
edi
ntheKi
ng‟
sCour
tbyt
heKi
ng‟
s
cl
erkandat
test
edbyt
hepr
esi
dingof
fi
ceraf
fi
xi
ngt
hesealwhi
chr
esembl
est
oa
moder
nregi
ster
eddocument
.

i
i)Sasaksi
ka

Sasaksi
kai
spur
elyapr
ivat
edocumentwr
it
tenbyany
oneandi
nthei
rown
handsbywi
tness.

i
ii
)Asaksi
ka

Asaksi
kai
sadocumentwhi
chhasbeenwr
it
tenbyt
hepar
ti
esi
tsel
fandhence
admi
ssi
ble.Justl
i
ke pr
esentday
sthe Anci
entHi
ndu Law ofEv
idence al
so
pr
efer
red document
ary ev
idence ov
eror
alev
idence.The Hi
ndu l
aw gi
ver
s,
howev
er,
wer
epr
obabl
yawar
eoft
heweaknessesoft
hedocument
aryev
idenceas
agai
nstpossi
blef
orger
y.Theyhav
e pr
ovi
ded el
abor
ater
ules t
o ensur
ethe
genui
nenessoft
hedocument
.InAnci
entHi
ndul
aw adocumentwr
it
tenbyt
he
chi
l
dren,dependent
s,l
unat
ics,womenorper
sonunderf
earwasconsi
der
edas
v
iti
ated.Ther
e wer
e al
so r
ulesf
ort
est
ing t
he genui
nenessofdocumentby
compar
isonofhandwr
it
ingi
nquest
ion,
par
ti
cul
arl
yincaseswher
eexecut
ant
sar
e
dead.
(Wal
ton)

Sakshi(
Wit
nesses)

Theabduct
ionofor
alev
idencewasani
mpor
tantf
eat
ureoft
heHi
nduLawof
Ev
idence.TheDhar
maSast
rasgoi
ntogr
eatdet
ail
sast
othet
imeatwhi
chand
t
heway
sinwhi
chwi
tnessesar
etobeexami
nedandhow t
heyar
etobet
est
ed.
Thel
aw-
giv
ersl
aydownt
hat
,indi
sput
edcase,t
het
rut
hshal
lbeest
abl
i
shedby
meansofwi
tnesses.Butt
her
ewasashar
pdi
sti
nct
ionbet
weent
heabduct
ionof
or
alev
idence,i
nci
vi
lmat
ter
sandcr
imi
nalof
fences.“
Anci
entHi
nduLaw”as
poi
ntedoutbyt
hel
ateMr
.B.Gur
uraj
ahRaoi
nhi
sli
tt
lebookl
et“
Anci
entHi
ndu
5
j
udi
cat
ure” i
nsi
stedonhi
ghmor
alqual
i
ficat
ionsi
nawi
tnessi
nci
vi
lmat
ter
sand
di
dnotper
mitanyonebei
ngpi
ckedupf
rom st
reet
sorf
rom t
hecour
tpr
emi
ses
andmadet
odepose,asi
sver
yof
tendonei
nthemoder
nIndi
ancour
ts.One
commonqual
i
ficat
ionment
ionedi
sthatt
hewi
tnessesshoul
dbeasmanyas
possi
ble,“
faul
tl
essasr
egar
dper
for
manceoft
hei
rdut
ies,wor
thyt
obet
rust
edby
t
hecour
tandf
reef
rom af
fect
ionf
ororhat
redagai
nstei
therpar
ty”
.Itwascar
ri
ed
t
osuchanext
remel
i
mitt
hatwi
tnesseswhosecr
edi
bil
i
tyal
onewoul
d,accor
ding
t
omoder
nlaw,
bequest
ioned,
wer
e,bar
redasl
egal
l
yincompet
entwi
tnesses.The
t
endencyofanci
entl
egi
slat
ioni
nal
lcount
ri
eswast
oregul
atet
hecompet
encyof
wi
tnessesbyar
ti
fi
cialr
ulesofexcl
usi
on,whi
l
ethet
rendofmoder
njur
ispr
udence
i
stowi
dent
hescopeofor
alt
est
imony
,leav
ingt
hedet
ermi
nat
ionoft
hecr
edi
bil
i
ty
t
othedi
scr
eti
onoft
het
ri
bunal
s.Theanci
entl
aw-
giv
erswi
sel
yrel
axedt
hese
r
est
ri
cti
onsi
nthecaseofwi
tnessesofcr
imi
nal
off
encesbecauset
heyr
ecogni
zed
cr
imesmi
ghthappeni
nfor
est
sandsecl
udedpl
acesandcoul
donl
ybespokent
o
bywi
tnesseswhohappenedt
obet
her
eir
respect
iveoft
hei
rqual
i
ficat
ions.The
cor
respondi
ng Lat
in maxi
m i
st i
hat“fa mur
derhappens i
n a br
othelonl
y
st
rumpet
scanbewi
tnesses.
”
BRI
TISHPERI
OD

Bef
oret
hei
ntr
oduct
ionofI
ndi
anEv
idenceAct
,ther
ewasnosy
stemat
ic
enact
mentont
hissubj
ect
.TheEngl
i
shr
ulesofev
idencewer
eal
way
sfol
l
owedi
n
t
hecour
tsest
abl
i
shedbyt
her
oyalchar
teri
nthepr
esi
dencyt
ownsofCal
cut
ta,
Madr
asandBombay
."Suchoft
heser
ules,
aswer
econt
ainedi
ntheCommonLaw
andt
heSt
atut
oryLaw,
whi
chpr
evai
l
edi
nEngl
andbef
ore1726,
wer
eint
roducedi
n
Pr
esi
dencyt
ownsbyt
heChar
ter
".Out
sidet
hepr
esi
dencyt
ownst
her
ewer
eno
f
ixedr
ulesofev
idence.Thel
aw wasv
agueandi
ndef
ini
teandhadnogr
eat
er
aut
hor
it
ythant
heuseofcust
om.Howev
er,apr
act
icehadgr
ownt
ofol
l
ow.Some
r
ulesofev
idenceont
hebasi
sofcust
omsandusagesofMusl
i
ms.

TheBr
it
ishr
uler
s,t
hought
heydonothav
eanycodi
fi
edorconsol
i
dat
edl
aw
ofev
idencei
nthei
rcount
ry,
thoughtf
itt
ofr
amesomer
ulest
obef
oll
owedbyt
he
cour
tsi
nIndi
a.Dur
ingt
heper
iodof1835t
o1853A.
D.,aser
iesofActwer
e
passedbyt
heI
ndi
anl
egi
slat
urei
ntr
oduci
ngsomer
efor
msoft
heseAct
swhi
ch
super
fi
cial
l
y deal
twi
tht
he l
aw r
elat
ing t
othe wi
tness ar
e summar
ized as
f
oll
ows:
(Anandetal
.)
Lor
dDenman'
sActpr
ovi
dest
hatnowi
tnessshoul
dbeschedul
efr
om gi
vi
ng
ev
idenceei
theri
nper
sonorbydeposi
ti
onbyr
easonof"
incapaci
tyf
orcr
ime
i
nter
est
”.
ThesameActdecl
arest
hatt
hepar
ti
est
othepr
oceedi
ngst
hei
rwi
vesorhusband
and

al
lot
herper
soncapabl
eofunder
standi
ngt
henat
ureofoat
handt
hedut
yto
speakt
rut
h,ascompet
entwi
tnessesi
nthecount
rycour
ts.

(
ii
i)
Lor
dBr
oughamsActdecl
aredt
hatt
hepar
ti
esandt
heper
sononwhose
behal
fanysui
t,act
ionorpr
oceedi
ngmanybebr
oughtordef
ended,ar
e
compet
entaswel
lascompel
l
abl
etogi
veev
idencei
nanycour
tofj
ust
ice.

Lor
dBr
oughamsActof1853madet
hehusbandsandwi
vesoft
hepar
ti
est
o
t
her
ecor
dscompet
entandcompel
l
abl
ewi
tnesses.

ActXI
Xof1834abol
i
shedt
hei
ncompet
enceoft
hewi
tnessbyr
easonofa
cor
rect
ionf
orcr
imi
nal
off
ences.
ADMI
SSI
BILI
TYOFWI
TNESS

TheHal
sbur
y‟sLawsofI
ndi
acl
assi
fi
edwi
tnessesi
ntodi
ff
erentcat
egor
iesv
iz;

Ey
ewi
tnesses,

Nat
ural
wit
nesses,

Chancewi
tnesses,

Of
fi
cial
wit
nesses,

Sol
ewi
tnesses,

I
njur
edwi
tnesses,

I
ndependentwi
tnesses,

I
nter
est
ed,
rel
atedandpar
ti
sanwi
tnesses,

I
nimi
cal
wit
nesses,

Tr
apwi
tnesses,

Rust
icwi
tnesses,
 Chi
l
dwi
tnesses,

Host
il
ewi
tnesses,

Appr
over
,accompl
i
ceet
c.

WI
TNESSUNDERI
NDI
ANEVI
DENCEACT,
1872

Chapt
erI
Xti
tl
ed“
OFWI
TNESSES”oft
heI
ndi
anEv
idenceAct
,1872consi
sts
ofsev
ent
eenSect
ionsspr
eadi
ngf
rom Sect
ions118t
o134deal
swi
th

Compet
ency
;

Compel
l
abi
l
ity
;

Pr
ivi
l
eges;
and

Quant
it
yofWi
tnessesr
equi
redf
orj
udi
cial
deci
sions

Sect
ions118t
o121andSect
ion133oft
hisActpr
ovi
def
orcompet
encyof
wi
tnesses wher
eas Sect
ion 121 (
Judges and Magi
str
ates)and Sect
ion 132
(
Wit
nessnotexcusedf
rom answer
ingont
hegr
oundt
hatanswerwi
l
lcr
imi
nat
e)
r
efer
stot
hecompel
l
abi
l
ityoft
hewi
tnesses.Pr
ivi
l
egesoft
hev
ari
ouswi
tnesses
f
indpl
acei
nvar
iousf
ormsi
nSect
ion122t
o131oft
hisAct
.Sect
ion134oft
he
I
ndi
anEv
idenceAct1872env
isagest
hatnopar
ti
cul
arnumberofwi
tnessesi
s
r
equi
redf
orpr
oofofanyf
act
.Thel
astSect
ion134oft
heChapt
erI
Xenshr
inest
he
wel
l
-recogni
zedmagazi hatEv
net idencehast
obewei
ghedandnotcount
ed.

Di
sti
nct
ionbet
weenCompet
encyandCompel
labi
li
ty

Compet
encyofawi
tnessmaybedi
sti
ngui
shedf
rom hi
scompel
l
abi
l
ityand
f
rom pr
ivi
l
ege.
Awi
tnessi
ssai
dtobecompet
entwhent
her
eisnot
hingi
nlawt
o
pr
eventhi
m f
rom bei
ngswor
nandexami
nedi
fhewi
shest
o gi
veev
idence.
Thought
hegener
alr
ulei
sthatawi
tnesswhoi
scompet
enti
sal
lcompel
l
abl
e,y
et
t
her
e ar
ecaseswher
e a wi
tnessi
scompet
entbutnotcompel
l
abl
eto gi
ve
ev
idenceasf
orexampl
esov
erei
gnsandambassador
soff
orei
gnst
ates.(
Sect
ion
125and133)
(Anandetal
.;
Kumar
)

Fur
therawi
tnesst
houghcompel
l
abl
etogi
veev
idencemaybepr
ivi
l
egedor
pr
otect
edf
rom answer
ingcer
tai
nquest
ions.
Eveni
fwi
tnessbewi
l
li
ngt
odepose
aboutcer
tai
nthi
ngs,t
he cour
twi
l
lnotal
l
ow di
scl
osur
ein some cases.
The
Legi
sl
atur
ehasconsci
ousl
ymadeabr
oaddi
sti
nct
ionbet
weencompel
l
abi
l
ityt
o
beswor
noraf
fi
rmedandcompel
l
abi
l
ity
,whenswor
ntoanswerspeci
fi
cquest
ion.
Thus a wi
tness t
hough compel
l
abl
eto gi
ve ev
idence maybe pr
ivi
l
eged or
pr
otect
ed underSect
ion 122,
124,
125 and 128 Ev
idence Actf
rom answer
ing
cer
tai
nquest
ion.Si
mil
arl
yev
eni
fawi
tnessbewi
l
li
ngt
odeposeaboutcer
tai
n
t
hings,t
hecour
twi
l
lnotal
l
ow di
scl
osur
einsomecaseskeepi
ngi
nvi
ew t
he
pr
ovi
si
onsofSect
ion123,
126and127Ev
idenceAct
.

Cl
assi
fi
cat
ionofWi
tnessesandt
hei
rrel
iabi
li
ty

“
Isuppose”sai
d Ar
chbi
shop What
ely"
itwi
l
lnotbe di
vi
de t
hatt
he t
hree
f
oll
owi
ngar
eamongt
hemosti
mpor
tantpor
tst
obeascer
tai
nedi
ndeci
ding
cr
edi
bil
i
tyofwi
tnesses.Fi
rstwhet
hert
heyhav
ethemeansofgai
ningcor
rect
i
nfor
mat
ion;secondl
y,whet
hert
heyhav
eanyi
nter
esti
nconceal
i
ngt
rut
h;t
hir
dly
23
whet
hert
heyagr
ee i
nthei
rtest
imony
." The f
ir
stt
wo oft
hese t
est
s ar
e
appl
i
cabl
etot
hewi
tnessi
ndi
vi
dual
l
y;t
het
hir
dtot
hewhol
eoft
het
est
imonyt
aken
t
oget
her
.Gener
all
yspeaki
ngor
alt
est
imonyofawi
tnessmaybecl
assi
fi
edi
nto
t
hreecat
egor
ies:
namel
y-
 Whol
l
yrel
i
abl
e

Whol
l
yunr
eli
abl
e

Nei
therwhol
l
yrel
i
abl
enorwhol
l
yunr
eli e24.
abl

I
nthef
ir
stcat
egor
yofpr
oof
,thecour
tshoul
dhav
enodi
ff
icul
tyi
ncomi
ngt
oit
s
concl
usi
onei
therway
;itmayconv
ictormayacqui
tont
het
est
imonyofasi
ngl
e
wi
tness,i
fiti
sfoundt
obeabov
erepr
oachorsuspi
cion.I
nthesecondcat
egor
y,
t
hecour
tequal
l
yhasnodi
ff
icul
tyi
ncomi
ngt
oit
sconcl
usi
on.I
tisi
nthet
hir
d
cat
egor
y ofcases,t
hatt
he cour
thas t
o be ci
rcumspectand t
olook f
or
cor
robor
ati
oni
nmat
eri
alpar
ti
cul
arsbyr
eli
abl
etest
imony
,di
rectorci
rcumst
ant
ial
.

Ther
ear
efourway
sbywhi
chat
ri
alcanhol
dawi
tnessunwor
thyofbel
i
ef:

Thewi
tnessst
atementi
sinher
ent
lyi
mpr
obabl
eorcont
rar
ytot
hecour
seof
nat
uree.
g.hesay
sthathei
dent
if
iedt
heaccusedbyf
acei
npi
tchdar
kness,
ort
hather
ecogni
zedhi
svoi
cef
rom ami
l
eawayort
hathesawt
heaccused
 ki
l
li
ngt
hedeceasedwi
thal
athiwher
easmedi
calev
idencepr
oveshedi
edof
abul
l
etwound;

Thewi
tnessdeposi
ti
oncont
ainsmut
ual
l
ycont
radi
ctor
yori
nconsi
stent
passagee.
g.atonepl
acehesay
s'A'
wast
hemur
der
erbutatanot
hert
hati
t
was'
B'
.

Thewi
tnessisfoundtobeabi
tterenemyoft
heopposi
tepar
tyandt
her
efor
e,possesses
ampl
emot i
veforwishi
nghi
m harm;

The wi
tness demeanourwhi
l
stunderexami
nat
ion i
sfound abnor
malor

unsat
isf
act
ory
.

Theev
idenceofawi
tnesshast
obej
udgedmai
nlyandbr
oadl
yont
hest
rengt
h
oft
henat
ureoft
heev
idencehehasgi
veni
nacaseandnotonsomuchast
ohow
hehasbeenabl
etoi
mpr
esst
hecour
twhi
l
eint
hewi
tnessbox.

Theor
dinar
ypr
esumpt
ioni
sthatawi
tnessspeaki
ngunderanoat
hist
rut
hful
unl
essandunt
ilhei
sshownt
obeunt
rut
hful
orunr
eli
abl
einanypar
ti
cul
arr
espect
.
Wi
tnessessol
emnl
ydeposi
ngonoat
hint
hewi
tnessboxdur
ingat
ri
alupona
gr
ave char
ge ofmur
dermustbe pr
esumed t
o actwi
thaf
ullsense of
r
esponsi
bil
i
tyoft
heconsequencesofwhatt
heyst
ate.I
tmaybet
hatwhatt
hey
sayi
ssov
eryunl
i
kel
yorunnat
uralorunr
easonabl
ethati
tissaf
ernott
oactupon
i
torev
ent
odi
sbel
i
evei
t.I
tshoul
dnotbeassumedt
hatwi
tnessesar
eunt
rut
hful
unl
essi
tispr
ovedt
hatt
heyar
etel
l
ingt
het
rut
h.

Ther
eispr
esumpt
ioni
nlawofabsol
utet
rut
hful
nessofpr
osecut
ionwi
tness.
Theev
idenceofwi
tnessesi
ntr
ialwhet
hert
heydeposef
ort
hepr
osecut
ionor
def
ensei
stobej
udgedbyt
hecour
tswi
tht
hesamest
andar
doft
het
estof
r
eli
abi
l
ity
.Thedef
enseev
idenceshoul
dnotbebypassedorov
erl
ookedbyt
he
cour
tssi
mpl
ybecauset
hewi
tnesshaddeposedi
nfav
ourofaccused.Thet
ri
al
hast
ogi
vecogentandconv
inci
ngr
easonsf
ordi
scar
dingt
hedef
enceev
idence.

I
nthi
scount
ryi
tisr
aret
ocomeacr
osst
het
est
imonyofawi
tnesswhi
ch
doesnothav
eaf
ri
ngeorembr
oider
yofunt
rut
h,cour
tshoul
dsepar
atet
hegr
ain
f
rom t
hechaf
fandacceptwhatappear
stobet
rueandr
ejectt
her
est
.Iti
sonl
y
wher
ethet
est
imonyofwi
tnessi
stai
ntedt
othecor
e,t
hef
alsehoodandt
het
rut
h
i
next
ri
cabl
yint
ert
winedt
hatt
hecour
tshoul
ddi
scar
dhi
sev
idencei
ntot
o.
 Wher
eaper
songi
vesev
idenceonoat
hthepr
esumpt
ioni
sthathehas
spokent
het
rut
handt
hebur
denl
i
esonhi
mthatchal
l
engest
hev
eraci
tyoft
hat
st
atement
.Thr
owi
ngov
erboar
daswor
ntest
imonymer
elybyusi
ngphr
asesl
i
ke
st
atementdoesnotr
ingt
rueordoesnotcar
ryconv
ict
ioni
shi
ghl
yundesi
rabl
e.
Thel
awdoesnotdemandt
hatoneshoul
dactuponcer
tai
nti
esal
one.

Awi
tnessi
nnotl
i
keat
aper
ecor
dwhenhei
sgi
vi
ngev
idencemor
ethana
y
earl
ateraboutwhathappeneday
earear
li
erhi
smemor
ymaynotser
vehi
m
compl
etel
yri
ght
.Hemaynotbeabl
etor
epor
ttheexactwor
dsusedont
he
occasi
on,
oral
lthewor
ds.Al
l
owancemustbemadef
ort
hesef
act
ors.
(I
ndi
aetal
.
1969)

TheHon‟
bleSupr
emeCour
tinBhogi
nBhatKi
rj
iv.St
ateofGuj
aratobser
ved
aboutcer
tai
npr
esumpt
ionsr
egar
dinganor
dinar
ywi
tness.

Byandl
argeawi
tnesscannotbeexpect
edt
opossessaphot
ogr
aphi
cmemor
y
andt
orecal
lthedet
ail
sofani
nci
dent
.Iti
snotasi
fav
ideot
apei
srepl
ayed
 ont
hement
alscr
een.

Or
dinar
yitsohappenst
hatawi
tnessi
sov
ert
akenbyev
ent
s.Thewi
tnesscoul
d
nothav
eant
ici
pat
edt
heoccur
rencewhi
chso af
terhasast
atementof
sur
pri
se.Thement
alf
acul
ti
est
her
efor
e,cannotbeexpect
edt
obeat
tunedt
o
absor
bthedet
ail
s.

Thepower
sofobser
vat
iondi
ff
erf
rom per
sont
oper
son.Whatonemaynot
ice,
anot
hermaynot
.Anobj
ectormov
ementmi
ghtembossi
tsi
mageonone
per
sonsmi
ndwher
easi
tmi
ghtgounnot
icedont
hepar
tofanot
her
.

Byandl
argepeopl
ecannotaccur
atel
yrecal
laconv
ersat
ionandr
epr
oducet
he
v
erywor
dsusebyt
hem orhear
dbyt
hem.Theycanonl
yrecal
lthemai
n
pur
por
toft
heconv
ersat
ion.I
tisunr
eal
i
sti
ctoexpectawi
tnesst
obea
humant
aper
ecor
der
.

I
nregar
dtoexactt
imeofani
nci
dent
,ort
het
imedur
ati
onofanoccur
rence
usual
l
y,peopl
emaket
hei
rest
imat
esbyguesswor
konspuroft
hemoment
att
het
imeofi
nter
rogat
ionandonecannotexpectpeopl
etomakev
ery
 pr
eci
seorr
eli
abl
eest
imat
esi
nsuchmat
ter
s.Agai
nitdependsont
het
ime
sensei
ndi
vi
dual
swhi
chv
aryf
rom per
sont
oper
son.

Or
dinar
yawi
tnesscannotbeexpect
edt
orecal
laccur
atel
ythesequenceof
ev
ent
swhi
cht
akepl
acei
nrapi
dsuccessi
onori
nashor
tti
mespan.A
wi
tness i
sli
abl
eto getconf
used ormi
xed up when i
nter
rogat
ed l
ater
on.
(I
ndi
aandAgar
wal
1961)

Awi
tnesst
houghwhol
l
ytr
uthf
ul,
isl
i
abl
etobeov
erawedbyt
hecour
tat
mospher
eand
pi
erci
ngcr
oss-
exami
nat
ionmadebycounselandoutofner
vousnessmi
xesupf
act
s
get
sconf
usedr
egar
dingsequenceofev
ent
s.Orf
il
lsupdet
ail
sfr
om i
mageont
hespur
ofmoment
.Thesubconsci
ousmi
ndoft
hewi
tnesssomet
imessooper
atesonaccount
oft
hef
earofl
ooki
ngf
ool
i
shorbei
ngdi
sbel
i
evedt
hought
hewi
tnessi
sgi
vi
ngat
rut
hful
and honestaccountoft
he occur
rence wi
tness by hi
m per
haps i
tis a sor
tof
psy
chol
ogi
caldef
ensemechani
sm act
ivat
edont
hespuroft
hemoment
.Peopl
ereact
t
osi
tuat
ionsnotal
way
sinauni
for
m way
.Aneducat
ed,ani
l
li
tr
ateaci
tydwel
l
er,a
v
il
lageroranadi
vasi
wil
lreactdi
ff
erent
lyaccor
dingt
othedegr
eeoft
hei
rsophi
sti
cat
ion.
Mor
eov
erev
eni
nthecaseoft
hesamecl
ass,t
her
eact
ionwoul
dvar
ywi
tht
hephy
sical
cour
age,
ment
alequi
pmentandsoci
alawar
enessoft
hei
ndi
vi
dual
.

Ev
eryper
sonwhowi
tnessesamur
derr
eact
sinhi
sownway
.Somear
e
st
unned,somebecomespeechl
essandsomest
andr
oot
edt
othespot
.Some
becomehy
ster
icandst
artwal
l
ing,
somest
artshout
ingf
orhel
p.Thoseot
her
swho
r
unawayt
okeept
hemsel
vesasf
arr
emov
edf
rom t
hespotaspossi
blear
enot
necessar
yincr
edi
bley
etot
her
srusht
other
escueoft
hev
ict
im ev
engoi
ngt
othe
ext
entofcount
erat
tacki
ngt
heassai
l
ant
s.Ev
eryoner
eact
stheev
idenceof
wi
tnessesont
hegr
oundt
hatt
heydi
dnotr
eacti
napar
ti
cul
armanneri
sto
appr
eci
atet
heev
idencei
nawhol
l
yunr
eal
i
sti
cuni
magi
nat
iveway
.

Di
ff
erentper
sonsadmi
tt
edl
yseei
nganev
entgi
vev
ary
ingaccount
soft
he
same.Thati
sbecauset
hatper
cept
ivenessv
ari
esandar
ecountoft
hesame
i
nci
denti
susual
l
yatv
ari
ancet
oaconsi
der
abl
eext
ent
.

WI
TNESSESEMERGI
NGPERSPECTI
VES

Thepr
esentj
udi
cialsy
stem hast
akent
hewi
tnessescompl
etel
yforgr
ant
ed.
Wi
tnessesar
esummonedt
othecour
tregar
dlessoft
hef
actt
hatt
heyhav
eno
 money
,ort
hatt
heycannotl
eav
ethei
rfami
l
y,chi
l
dren,busi
nesset
c.andappear
bef
oret
heCour
t.Butt
hat
‟snotal
l
.Onr
eachi
ngt
heCour
t,somear
etol
dthatt
he
case has been adj
our
ned (
forr
easons t
hatmayt
urni
ntoi
nfi
nit
y)and t
he
r
espect
ivel
awy
erpol
i
tel
ygi
vest
hem af
urt
herdat
efort
hei
rnextappear
ance.The
pl
i
ghtofawi
tness,
whocomesf
orwar
dtodeposebef
oreacour
twi
thf
ull
senseof
conv
ict
ion,canbeseenbyt
hecr
it
ici
sm f
rom t
heSupr
emeCour
tint
hecaseof
St
ateofUt
tarPr
adeshv.ShambhuNat
hSi
ngh

“Wit
nessestrembleongetti
ngsummonsf rom Courts,
inIndi
a,notbecausetheyfear
examinat
ionorcross-exami
nationinCourt
sbutbecauseoft hefearthattheymightnot
beexaminedatallf
orseveraldaysandonal lsuchdaystheywouldbenai l
edtothe
preci
nctsoftheCour t
sawait
ingtheirchanceofbeingexamined.
Thi
scr
it
ici
sm f
rom t
heSupr
emeCour
tofI
ndi
api
thi
l
ysumsupt
hepr
obl
em f
aci
ng
wi
tnesses.I
nthecaseofSwar
anSi
ngh v.St
ateofPunj
ab,WadhwaJ.whi
l
e
del
i
ver
ingt
hej
udgmentexpr
essedhi
sopi
nionaboutt
hecondi
ti
onsofwi
tnesses
i
nthef
oll
owi
ngwor
ds:

t
“hewi
tnesses…ar
eahar
assedl
ot.Awi
tnessi
nacr
imi
nalt
ri
al
maycomef
rom af
ar-
offpl
acet
ofi
ndt
hecaseadj
our
ned.He
hast
ocomet
otheCour
tmanyt
imesandatwhatcostt
ohi
s
own-
sel
fandhi
sfami
lyi
snotdi
ff
icul
ttof
athom.I
thasbecome
mor
eorl
essaf
ashi
ont
ohaveacr
imi
nalcaseadj
our
nedagai
n
andagai
nti
llt
hewi
tnesst
ir
esandhegi
vesup.I
tist
hegameof
unscr
upul
ousl
awy
erst
ogetadj
our
nment
sforoneexcuseort
he
ot
hert
il
lawi
tnessi
swonoverori
sti
red.Notonl
ythatawi
tness
i
sthr
eat
ened;hei
sabduct
ed;hei
smai
med;hei
sdoneaway
wi
th;
orevenbr
ibed.Ther
eisnopr
otect
ionf
orhi
m.I
nadj
our
ning
 t
hemat
terwi
thoutanyval
idcauseaCour
tunwi
tt
ingl
ybecomes
par
tyt
omi
scar
ri
ageofj
ust
ice.Awi
tnessi
sthennott
reat
edwi
th
r
especti
nthe Cour
t.He i
s pushed outf
rom t
he cr
owded
cour
troom byt
hepeon.Hewai
tsf
ort
hewhol
edayandt
henhe
f
indst
hatt
hemat
teradj
our
ned.Hehasnopl
acet
osi
tandno
pl
aceevent
ohaveagl
assofwat
er.Andwhenhedoesappeari
n
Cour
t,hei
ssubj
ect
edt
ouncheckedandpr
olongedexami
nat
ion
andcr
oss-
exami
nat
ionandf
indshi
msel
finahapl
esssi
tuat
ion.

Thewi
tnesses,
whoar
econsi
der
edt
opl
ayav
italr
olei
nthepr
oceedi
ngs,
hav
eto
f
aceal
otofhur
dlesdur
ingt
headmi
nist
rat
ionoft
hecr
imi
nalj
ust
icesy
stem.
Someoft
hem ar
ement
ionedbel
ow:
-(
Moni
r)

Fi
rstofal
l
,whenawi
tnessi
scal
l
edt
oacour
t,t
ogi
vest
atement
s,t
hey
somet
imeshav
etocomeal
lthewayf
rom t
hei
rremot
etownorv
il
lagewher
e
t
heyr
esi
de.Hei
snotatal
lpai
dforhi
str
avel
i
ngexpendi
tur
e.I
fawi
tnessi
s
f
rom t
hepoorst
rat
aofsoci
etyorsayoft
hel
abourcl
ass,t
henhehast
o
sacr
if
icehi
sonedaywor
kandhast
ocomet
othecour
tjustt
oansweraf
ew
 quest
ions.Ev
eni
nthi
scasehei
snei
thercompensat
ednordoest
hecour
t
r
eimbur
seshi
str
avel
expendi
tur
e.

Whenhesomehowr
eachest
hecour
t,hei
snotatal
ltr
eat
edi
napr
opermanner
.The

Mal
l
imat
hCommi
tt
eehasexpr
essedi
tsopi
nionaboutsuchwi
tnessesby
say
ing,
“Thewi
tnessshoul
dbet
reat
edwi
th“

CONCLUSI
ON:

Notonl
ythi
s,i
nor
dert
ogetr
idoft
hiscr
ossexami
nat
ionasear
lyaspossi
ble,
ei
therhewi
l
lgi
vef
alsest
atement
sort
omaket
hemat
terwor
se,hewi
l
ltur
n
host
il
ei.
e.hewi
l
lret
ractf
rom hi
spr
evi
ousst
atement
.Mr
.Sol
iSor
abj
ee,t
he
f
ormerAt
tor
neyGener
alhasr
ight
lysai
d,Not
“ hingshakespubl
i
cconf
idencei
nthe
cr
imi
nalj
ust
icedel
i
ver
ysy
stem mor
ethant
hecol
l
apseoft
hepr
osecut
ionowi
ng
t
owi
tnessest
urni
nghost
il
eandr
etr
act
ingt
hei
rpr
evi
ousst
atement
s.”
CASELAWSREFERRED:

Lasmukhl
alV.Shahv
sBankOfI
ndi
aAndOr
s,(
1997)3GLR1891

K.
P.Abdul
Kar
eem Haj
eeAndAnr
.vsDi
rect
or,
Enf
orcement
,(1977)2MLJ47

Tahsi
l
darSi
nghAndAnot
herv
sTheSt
ateOfUt
tarPr
adesh,
AIR1959SC1012

Hanumantv
.St
ateOfMadhy
aPr
adesh(
AIR1995SC343)

AshokKumarv
.St
ateOfMadhy
aPr
adesh(
AIR1989SC1890)

Kal
l
uv.St
ateOfUt
tarPr
adesh(
AIR1958SC180)

St
ateOfHi
manchal
Pradeshv
.Jai
Lal
(AI
R1999SC3318)

Si
vraj
bhanv
.Har
chandgi
r(AI
R1954SC564)
Concl
usi
on:

Itwasawonder fulandlearningexperienceformewhi l
ewor ki
ngont his
proj
ect.Thi
sprojecttookmet hroughthevari
ousphr asesofwi t
nessand
gavemeai nsi
ghtknowledget hathowimpor t
antiswit nessi
napar t
icular
case.
Itwasduet othi
sprojectIcamet owhatwi t
nessi sandhowi mpor tant
i
tisthef i
eldofl
aw. Iwoul
dal sol i
ketothankmyt eacherRounakmam f or
provi
dinghervaluablesuppor tandguidancethrought hecourseofthe
proj
ect.