Sets out how a party can challenge ("impeach") the credibility of their own or the opposing side's witness — including through evidence of prior inconsistent statements. This is the mechanism behind what's commonly called a witness "turning hostile" — giving testimony in court that contradicts an earlier statement they gave (e.g. to police).
- A witness turning hostile doesn't automatically destroy a case, but it's often a serious, practical setback for whichever side was relying on that testimony.
Explains a term you'll often see in news coverage of criminal trials ("the key witness turned hostile") — it refers to this specific evidentiary mechanism, not just a witness being generally uncooperative.
Keep exploring
Accomplice Evidence
If a case against you relies substantially on testimony from someone who was themselves involved in the alleged crime, know that courts don't take such testimony at face value — they look for independent support.
Cross-Examination as to Previous Statements in Writing
This is part of how a lawyer can test whether a witness's courtroom testimony is consistent with what they said earlier — relevant background if you're a witness who gave an earlier written statement (e.g. to police) and are later questioned about it in court.
This is a plain-English summary, not verbatim statutory text. Adhikar is an independent citizen-awareness platform, not a Government of India website. Always verify against the bare Act (legislative.gov.in) or a qualified advocate before relying on this for an actual legal situation.