Witness Protection in India: Safeguarding Justice or Shielding Interests?

The integrity of any criminal justice system hinges on the fearless and truthful testimony of witnesses. In India, however, witness intimidation remains a critical challenge to justice delivery. This paper critically examines the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 , introduced to address such challenges by offering legal and practical safeguards for vulnerable witnesses. It explores the scheme’s legal framework, operational mechanisms, and its categorization of witnesses based on threat perception. Special emphasis is placed on the protection of child witnesses and vulnerable individuals , reflecting the scheme's sensitivity toward psychological and social factors. The research addresses three key questions: the competency of children as witnesses under Indian law, evolving protections for vulnerable witnesses, and the classification and risk assessment framework under the Witness Protection Scheme. Through an analytical lens, this paper assesses whether the scheme serves as a necessary tool for justice or an overreaching mechanism subject to misuse . By evaluating recent developments, judicial practices, and procedural reforms, the study offers critical insights into the scheme’s implementation and its role in fostering a secure legal environment that upholds both witness dignity and the rule of law.