Pooja Jain, Symbiosis Law School, Symbiosis International University, Noida
INTRODUCTION
Justice depends on the testimony of witnesses, as Bentham put it. But now it's just like any other quotes from famous people, because testimony and justice no longer sit side by side.1 If we provide better safeguards for witnesses, we won't have any more "Zaheera Sheikhs" or "Shayan Munshis." After Manu Sharma was found guilty in the Jessica Lal's Case by the Delhi High Court, Ms. Ramani issued the following statement. As an eyewitness, Ms. Ramani positively identified Manu Sharma as the culprit in court. The judge commended Ms. Ramani's "courageous" move. The United States is home to many more people like Ms. Ramani since the country has an excellent Witness Protection Program in place.
The government's capacity to enforce laws and the public's faith in the government's ability to safeguard people are severely harmed when witnesses are threatened or intimidated. When witnesses are afraid to testify, police and prosecutors are unable to do their jobs effectively, which in turn affects public safety and trust in government.
He must be considered a credible witness because there is no statute that forbids the Court from giving him an oath. Witnesses turn hostile out of fear of intimidation, and it is true that he would have to testify under the cloud of suspicion that his testimony had been gained by threat or promise. However, this does not negate his competence.
