Witness Protection as Criminal Justice Reform in India: A Delhi Study

Witness protection has become a crucial component of contemporary criminal justice reform, particularly in systems where hostile testimony and witness intimidation undermine trial integrity. In India, the absence of a comprehensive statutory framework historically weakened prosecutorial effectiveness and threatened the constitutional guarantee of a fair trial under Article 21. This article examines witness protection as a procedural reform within India’s criminal justice system, with specific reference to its implementation in Delhi. The study aims to evaluate whether the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 adequately operationalizes constitutional fair trial safeguards and whether its executive character limits long-term sustainability. The research adopts a combined doctrinal and socio-legal methodology, analysing constitutional jurisprudence, statutory provisions, judicial precedents, and international standards alongside contextual developments in Delhi between 2018 and 2025. The findings indicate that although witness protection has acquired constitutional recognition, implementation challenges—such as administrative inconsistencies, limited financial allocation, and emerging digital threats—restrict its structural effectiveness. The article argues that sustainable reform requires legislative codification, institutional autonomy, technological modernization, and gender-sensitive safeguards. Strengthening witness protection as a binding procedural right is essential to preserving evidentiary integrity, reinforcing public confidence, and ensuring meaningful realization of fair trial guarantees in India.