In the Witness Box

Life isn’t really like what and how they portray it in the movies, Indian movies at least. People don’t fall in love like they do in the movies, people don’t bash up baddies by the dozen, people don’t drive like they do on the screen. Our impression of so many things is influenced by movies that when we actually face similar situations we are surprised that it is otherwise. Something similar happened to me when I attended a court for the first time in my life to give evidence before a magistrate.

Sometime in December of the year 2008 I happened to be, though unwittingly, involved in an operation to catch a corrupt government servant. Like many things in my life, it led to more that what I bargained for. I am now a prime government witness in three cases one of which involved seizure of whiskey bottles in the house of a government servant. Two weeks ago I received summons from the court that I had to attend the court on so and so date. Ever since I received the summons my anxiety levels shot up to unprecedented levels because I have never been to a court in my life. Of course I have been to the courts but have never stood in the witness stand and given evidence before a magistrate in a packed court room. Years ago I almost appeared before a judge but thanks to my stars it wasn't to be.

Nearly two decades ago when I was in the second year at college and still being subjected to ragging, our seniors forced us to stand in for some other students involved in a police case. I was nervous as hell when we reached the court in the Old City. I wasn’t alone and I had three or four of my friends with me who too were very nervous. I wondered what would happen if the impersonation attempt became known. I would have had the experience of not only being inside a court hall I would have also had the experience of being inside a prison. Luckily for us, the hearing did not take place that day and we were able to breathe free. That was the sort of ragging we were subjected when we were in college. Anyway, last week once again I found myself in the court anxiously awaiting my turn.

It wasn’t at all anything like they show in the movies. I had expected a large court hall filled with the general public. There would be a wooden witness stand, a robed judge and all that one sees in movies. The hall I went in was a small one; there wasn’t anyone inside except lawyers. There was no witness stand and there was no gavel banging magistrate. I stood outside in a crowd of petty criminals and thugs, mostly bootleggers, waiting to be called in. The government lawyer took me inside and I entered nervous, anxious as well as excited. But the disappointment was complete when no one in the court produced the Holy Book wrapped in red cloth for me to lay my hand on while I took the oath to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. I gave evidence not to the magistrate who turned out to be a lady but to the steno sitting beside her. The magistrate was busy handling other cases while I gave my version of the things that happened a long time back. I tried to recollect as much as I could.


Minutes before we entered the government lawyer had shown me the statement I had signed as a witness so I could remember a few details. It helped me face the cross examination. This, however, went according to the movie version. The lawyer on behalf of the accused tried to put me in a spot by asking unexpected questions. I looked at him in the eye and corrected him when he tried to mislead me. On a couple of occasions, I am rather pleased to say, I had the upper hand. He had thought I would be another meek government witness but got a mild shock when I corrected him when he tried to make me parrot whatever he was saying. Though I felt I had given the correct version, going by the proceedings it appeared like the case was a goner. I will know about it in a couple of months from now.

Out of three cases in which I am the main government witness this was the first case that came for hearing. The other two are major cases, one of them being a sensational case, that of a senior cop being caught red-handed accepting a bribe. (See Dec 2008 posts) I expect to be grilled thoroughly but after last week’s experience I am not going to take any chances. I am going to appear before the magistrate to give evidence fully prepared.