CONTENTS

CONTENTS PAGES

SUPERVISOR’S CERTIFICATE i

DECLARATION BYTHE CANDIDATE ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii

ABBREVIATIONS iv

TABLE OF CASES v – ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS x – xviii

1 INTRODUCTION 1 – 39

1.1 Overview 1–3

1.2 Meaning and Competency of Witness 4–8

1.2.1 Ancient Period 4–6

1.2.2 Medieval Period 6–7

1.2.3 Present Law 7–8

1.3 Classification of Witnesses 9 – 11

1.3.1 Child Witness 9

1.3.2 Common Witness 9

1.3.3 Expert Witness 9 – 10

1.3.4 Interested Witness 10

1.3.5 Stock Witness 10

1.3.6 Dumb Witnesses 10 – 11

1.3.7 Vulnerable Witnesses 11

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1.3.8 Intimidated or Threatened Witness 11

1.3.9 Protected Witness 12

1.3.10 Hostile Witness 12

1.4 Importance of Witnesses 12 – 13

1.5 Harassment of Witnesses under Indian Criminal 14 – 16

Justice System

1.6 Witness Intimidation 16 – 18

1.6.1 Overt Intimidation 16

1.6.2 Implicit Intimidation 16 – 18

1.7 Witness protection and Witness Protection 18 – 19

Programme

1.8 Various Aspects of Witness Protection 20 – 24

1.8.1 Identity Protection or Anonymity to Witnesses 20

1.8.1.1 Partial or limited anonymity: 21

1.8.1.2 Total or Complete Anonymity 21

1.8.2 Physical Protection 22

1.8.3 Special Measures 22

1.8.3.1 Identity Change 22

1.8.3.2 Relocation and Financial Assistance 23

1.8.4 Witness Assistance 23

1.8.4.1 Psychological support 23 – 24

1.8.4.2 Proper allowances 24

1.8.5.3 Proper facilities 24

1.9 Witness Protection vis. a. vis. Fair Trial 24 – 25

1.10 Need for a Comprehensive Law on Witness 26 – 28

Protection in India

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1.11 Criteria for providing protection 28 – 29

1.12 Significance of the Study 29

1.13 Purpose of the Study 29 – 30

1.14 Scope of the Study 30 – 31

1.15 Hypothesis 31

1.16 Review of the Existing Literature 31 – 36

1.17 Organisation of Study 36 – 37

1.18 Research Methodology 38

1.19 Research Questions 38 – 39

1.20 SUM-UP 39

2. CHAPTER TWO: THE PROBLEM OF 40 – 80

HOSTILE WITNESSES

2.1 Overview 40 – 42

2.2 Hostile, Adverse or Unfavourable Witness: 42 – 45

Concept and Meaning

2.2.1 English Law 43

2.2.2 Indian Law 44 – 45

2.3 Effect of Declaring Witness as Hostile 45 – 47

2.4 Reasons for Witnesses Turning Hostile 47 – 70

2.4.1 Absence of a Witness Protection Programme 48 – 50

2.4.2 Delay in Disposal of Cases and Frequent 50 – 56

Adjournments

2.4.3. Default in payment of Allowances 56 – 58

2.4.4 Lack of Adequate Facilities in Courts 58 – 60

2.4.5 Wrath of the Accused 60 – 61

2.4.6. Use of Money Power against Witnesses 61 – 63

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2.4.6 Social Pressure 63 – 64

2.4.7 Indignation at the hands of Prosecution and 64 – 66

Defence Lawyer

2.4.8 Harassment by Police 67 – 70

2.5 Consequences of Witnesses Turning Hostile 70 – 73

2.5.1 Decline in Conviction Rates 70 – 71

2.5.2 Entire Evidence of a Hostile Witness not Discarded 72 – 73

2.5.3 Loss of Faith in the Judiciary 73

2.6 Strong action against Perjury 73 – 79

2.6.1 Ancient Period 74 – 76

2.6.2 Muslim Law 76 – 77

2.6.3 Present Law 77 – 79

2.7 Sum-Up 80

3. CHAPTER THREE: REPORTS ON WITNESS 81 – 115

PROTECTION

3.1 Overview 81

3.2 The Law Commission of India, Fourteenth Report 81 – 82

3.3 The Law Commission of India, Forty Second 82

Report

3.4 The Law Commission of India, One Hundred and 83 – 84

Fifty Fourth Report

3.5 The Law Commission of India, One Hundred and 84 – 85

Seventy Second Report

3.6 The Law Commission of India, One Hundred and 85

Seventy Eighth Report

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3.7 The Report of the Committee on Reforms of 86 – 87
Criminal Justice System, Government of India,
Ministry of Home Affairs, 2003

3.8 The Law Commission of India, Consultation Paper 87 – 91

on Witness Identity Protection and Witness
Protection Programmes, 2004

3.9 The Law Commission of India, One Hundred and 91 – 105

Ninety Eighth Report

3.10 The Witness (Identity) Protection Bill, 2006 105 – 114

3.10.1 Identity Protection during the investigation 106 – 109

3.10.1.1 Application for Identity Protection 107

3.10.1.2 Ex-parte Preliminary Inquiry by the Magistrate 107 – 108

3.10.1.3 Order by the Magistrate 108 – 109

3.10.2 Identity Protection after completion of investigation 109

3.10.2.1 Application for Identity Protection 109 – 110

3.10.2.2 Preliminary Inquiry by Magistrate or Judge 110 – 111

3.10.2.3 Order by the Magistrate or Judge 111 – 112

3.10.3 Identity Protection during the Trial 113 – 114

3.11 Sum-Up 114 – 115

4. CHAPTER FOUR: LEGISLATIVE AND 116 – 170

JUDICIAL RESPONSE

4.1 Overview 116

4.2 Legal Response 116

4.2.1 Protection of Witnesses from Intimidation 117

4.2.2 Identity Protection of Witnesses under Special Acts 117 – 120

4.2.3 In camera proceedings in rape case 120 – 121

4.2.4 Protection from Inconvenience by a Police Officer 121

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4.2.5 Transfer of Cases 121 – 122

4.2.6 Refusal of Bail to Accused 122

4.2.7 Protection from Aggressive Cross-Examination 122 – 124

4.2.8 Allowance for witnesses. 124 – 125

4.3 Judicial Response 125 – 171

4.3.1. Physical Protection 125 – 126

4.3.1.1 Mrs. Neelam Katara v. Union of India 126 – 127

4.3.1.2 Zahira Habibulla H. Sheikh and Another v. State of 128 – 132

Gujarat and Others

4.3.1.3 National Human Rights Commission v. State of 132

Gujarat

4.3.1.4 National Human Rights Commission v. State of 132 – 134

Gujarat

4.3.1.5 Durgaram Ramarao Chaudharty v. State of 134 – 136

Maharashtra and others

4.3.1.6 JavedAlamv. State of Chhatisgarh and Another. 136 – 137

4.3.1.7 RishipalYadavv. State of Uttar Pradesh 137 – 138

4.3.1.8 Mosaref HossainMondal v. The State of West Bengal 138 – 139

& Others

4.3.1.9 NareshShridharMirajkar v. State of Maharashtra 139 – 140

4.3.1.10 Hira Nath Mishra v. Principal, Rajendra Medical 140 – 141

College

4.3.2 Identity Protection under Special Laws 141 – 147

4.3.2.1 Bimal Kaur v. Union of India 141 – 143

4.3.2.2 Kartar Singh v. State of Punjab 143 – 145

4.3.2.3 Simranjit Singh v. Union of India, 145 – 146

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4.3.2.4 People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) v. Union of 146 – 147
India

4.3.3 In Camera Proceedings in Rape Cases 148 – 150

4.3.3.1 State of Punjab v.Gurmit Singh 148 – 149

4.3.3.2 Sakshiv. Union of India 149 – 150

4.3.4 Transfer of the Case 150 – 157

4.3.4.1 Nahar Singh Yadav and another v. Union of India 151 – 152
and others

4.3.4.2 Sister Meena Lalita Borwa v. State of Orissa and 152 – 154
others

4.3.4.3 Surendra Pratap Singh v. State of Uttar Pradesh & 154

Others.

4.3.4.4 Madan Lal and others v. State of Rajasthan and 154 – 157
others

4.3.5 Role of the State in the Protection of Witnesses 157 – 158

4.3.5.1 Zahira Habibulla H. Sheikh and Another v. State of 157

Gujarat and Others

4.3.5.2 Sister Meena Lalita Borwa v. State of Orissa and 158

others

4.3.6 Cancellation of the Bail of the Accused 158 – 161

4.3.6.1 Atul Bagga v. State of Chattisgarh 158 – 160

4.3.6.2 Ravindra Pal Singh v. Ajit Singh and another 160

4.3.6.3 Talab Haji Hussain v. Madhukar Purushottam 160 – 161

Mondkar

4.3.7 Unnecessary Adjournments and Inadequate 161 – 164

Allowances

4.3.7.1 Swaran Singh v. State of Punjab 161

4.3.7.2 State of Uttar Pradesh v.ShambhuNath Singh 161 – 164

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4.3.8 Preventive Detention of the Accused 164 – 165

4.3.8.1 HarpreetKaur v. State of Maharashtra 164 – 165

4.3.9 Externment Orders against the Accused 165 – 166

4.3.9.1 Gurbachan Singh v. The State of Bombay and 165 – 166

Another

4.3.10 Suomoto Action of the Court 167 – 170

4.3.10.1 Court on its own motion v. State of Punjab 167 – 170

4.3.11 Irrelevant Questions from the Prosecuterix not 170 – 171

Permitted

4.3.11.1 Sunil Atmaram More v. State and Another 170 – 171

4.4 Sum-Up 171 – 172

5. WITNESS PROTECTION LAWS: 173 – 204

A COMPARATIVE STUDY

5.1 Overview 173

5.2 Witness Protection Laws in other Countries 173 – 199

5.2.1 United States of America 174 – 175

5.2.2 United Kingdom 175 – 176

5.2.3 The Republic of Albania 176 – 181

5.2.4 Malaysia 181 – 188

5.2.5 Ireland 188 – 193

5.2.6 Pakistan: The Sindh Witness Protection Bill, 2013 193 – 199

5.3 United Nations 199 – 206

5.3.1 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 199 – 205

Vienna

5.3.2 United Nations Convention against Transnational 205 – 206

Organized Crime (UNITOC)

5.4 Sum-up 206

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6. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS 205 – 225

BIBLIOGRAPHY xix – xxxiii

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