Inadequacy Of Witness Protection Under The Law: Pitfalls In Pursuit Of Justice

Ananya Chatterjee, Sister Nivedita University

ABSTRACT

In the criminal justice system, witnesses and their testimonies play a decisive role in reaching the conclusion of the case. Witnesses, being the most crucial participants in the procedure, are often threatened or induced by the parties involved in the case to change or retract their statements. Thus, cases do not reach a truthful and rational conclusion. The judicial machinery fails the victims in their quest for justice. The rights given to witnesses and victims are quite limited in comparison to the wide range of rights of the accused. Therefore, protecting the witnesses becomes indispensable for achieving the foremost objective of the criminal justice system.

Keywords: Witness, Hostile witness, Criminal Justice administration, Witness protection programme across the globe, Witness protection programme in India.