(a) whether several criminals are set free due to witnesses turning hostile in the courts;
(b) if so, the number of criminals who were set free in such cases during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to check such cases in future?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HARIBHAI PARATHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)
(a) & (b): No such data is maintained in this Ministry.
(c) There are adequate provisions in Section 195A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 195A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to provide legal recourse to the witnesses.