Bombay High Court Flags "Dangerous Culture" Of Police "Copy Pasting" Statements Of Witnesses In Criminal Cases

The Bombay High Court expressed serious concern over the police practice of copy-pasting witness statements in criminal cases, terming it a dangerous culture that undermines justice. The court observed that identical phrasing across multiple witness statements indicates mechanical reproduction rather than genuine recording of testimonies. This criticism comes in a case where the court noticed verbatim similarities in statements of different witnesses. The judgment emphasizes the importance of authentic witness statements in ensuring fair trials and preventing miscarriages of justice. The High Court directed the police department to take corrective measures and ensure that each witness statement genuinely reflects the individual's account. This observation will likely lead to greater scrutiny of police investigation methods and may result in more cases being dismissed due to unreliable evidence.