WITNESS PROTECTION SCHEME IN INDIA

Abstract

Witnesses are considered one of the most important aspects of the criminal justice system. It is because of them that any material is identified by the trial so as to arrive at a reasonable conclusion. The inputs given by the witness may have a direct effect on an accused's prosecution or acquittal, so it is preferred that such a witness be shielded from the wrath of external considerations that may change his position on a specific case. Extraneous influences form a plurality in the form of corruption or intimidation that result in the witness being aggressive, so it becomes rudimentary for the state to ensure that such a witness is covered such that the prescribed course of justice does not shift. Witness security and the introduction of this scheme have recently been implemented in India. The framework is at the beginning and the positive thing is that India has systems from other countries to learn from and incorporate its policies without having to face any challenges that other countries have already experienced and changed their schemes according to those circumstances. This paper, tries to introduce the concept of witness protection; importance witness protection and witness protection scheme.