Trial of private witnesses should be completed on the same day as far as possible by the lower courts, says SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said that trial courts across the country should complete the examination of personal witnesses, as far as possible, on the same day. Along with this, the court said that taking cognizance of the tendency of abruptly adjourning the process of 'examination' of such witnesses without any reason, made this observation.

The top court said that it expresses outrage over the repeated attempts to obstruct the process of justice and create situations whereby personal witnesses turn hostile for "obvious reasons".

 A bench of Justices M. M. Sundresh said, "Proceedings are adjourned for a long time after the completion of the main inquiry which helps the defense to emerge victoriously."

The bench, in its order, said, "We, therefore, think it appropriate to reiterate that the trial courts should conduct the main examination and cross-examination of private witnesses, as far as possible, on the same day." This decision was pronounced on the appeal of the appellants.

The High Court, in its order, had convicted all four of them and sentenced them to life imprisonment in the case of shooting dead two persons in 2004. The Court ordered that the copy of this judgment be distributed to all the lower courts through the respective High Courts.