Indian law does not recognise causes behind perjury: Delhi High Court

NEW DELHI: While dwelling upon the offence of perjury and its adverse impact on the criminal justice system, the Delhi High Court today said Indian law does not take into account the causes for this "malaise" which has plagued prosecutions.


"Beyond the bare fact of the hostility of the witness and the application or administration of penal law (perjury), the legal regime in India does not recognize the underlying causes for this malaise which has plagued criminal prosecutions," a bench of justices Ravindra Bhat and G P Mittal said.

The observations by the bench came in its 103-page verdict directing prosecution of Bollywood actor Shyan Munshi and a ballistic expert for turning hostile in the sensational Jessica Lall murder case.

The court, however, absolved 17 other witnesses from the charge of giving false evidence during their deposition in the trial.