The Indian legal system is designed to ensure that justice is served to all. However, at times, the system fails to protect the rights of the innocent, who are caught in the web of a flawed system. There have been numerous cases in India where innocent people have been implicated in a crime and have had to spend years in jail before being acquitted. In this blog, we will discuss the concept of getting a clean chit in the Indian legal system.
A clean chit is a legal term used to describe a situation where an accused person is exonerated of all charges and declared innocent. In India, getting a clean chit is a long and arduous process that requires a thorough investigation and a fair trial. The Indian legal system is based on the principle of “innocent until proven guilty,” which means that a person is presumed innocent until there is sufficient evidence to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
However, the process of getting a clean chit can be complicated, especially in cases where the evidence is circumstantial or the prosecution has a strong case against the accused. In such cases, the burden of proof lies on the accused to prove their innocence. This can be a daunting task, as it requires a thorough understanding of the law, evidence, and the legal system.
One of the key reasons why innocent people are implicated in a crime is because of false allegations. As False allegations can be made for a variety of reasons, including personal vendettas, misunderstandings, and even mistaken identity.
In such cases, the innocent person is subjected to the rigors of the legal system, including arrest, trial, and imprisonment, until the truth is revealed.
There are many instances when even high-profile people had to deal with these allegations through their journey to prove themself innocent. Like the famous movie star Jiah Khan, a Bollywood actress, committed suicide in 2013. A letter she wrote accused actor Suraj Pancholi of abuse. Suraj was arrested but later given a clean chit. The court ruled he was not solely responsible for Jiah’s death.
Also, similarly Rakesh Asthana a former CBI officer was accused in a bribery case but after a detail investigation, he was proven innocent and given a clean chit by the court.
The Indian legal system do lacks sufficient mechanisms to prevent false allegations. For example, there is no punishment for false witnesses, who often go scot-free despite providing false testimony in court. This encourages people to make false allegations with impunity.
But what’s important that the Indian legal system protects the rights of the innocent and ensures that justice is served to all.
