Witnesses turning hostile disturbing trend: SC

"Witness turning hostile is a major disturbing factor faced by the criminal courts in India.

"Reasons are many for the witnesses turning hostile, but of late, we see, especially in high profile cases, there is a regularity in the witnesses turning hostile, either due to monetary consideration or by other tempting offers which undermine the entire criminal justice system and people carry the impression that the mighty and powerful can always get away from the clutches of law thereby, eroding people's faith in the system," Justice S Radhakrishnan said.

The court's remark came while passing its verdict in the infamous BMW hit-and-run case, convicting 34-year-old Sanjeev Nanda under the stringent provision of culpable homicide not amounting to murder for mowing down six people, including three policemen, with his car in south Delhi in 1999.

In this case three key prosecution witnesses including the injured witness, who was present on the spot, turned hostile.