Pratibha Rani, J

1. “It’s all very well to paint justice blind, but she does better without a bandage round her eyes. She should be blind indeed to favour or prejudice, but clear to see which way lies the truth……” (Lord Denning in Jones v. National Coal Board (1957) 2 QB 55)

2. It is often quoted that every trial is voyage of discovery in which truth is quest. In our quest to ascertain the truth, we prefer to be guided by the following observation made by the Supreme Court in Chandra Shashi v. Anil Kumar Verma (1995) 1 SCC 421:

‘To enable the courts to ward off unjustified interference in their working, those who indulge in immoral acts like perjury, prevarication and motivated falsehoods have to be appropriately dealt with, without which it would not be possible for any court to administer justice in the true sense and to the satisfaction of those who approach it in the hope that truth would ultimately prevail. People would have faith in courts when they would find that

(truth alone triumphs) is an achievable aim there; or

(it is virtue which ends in victory) is not only inscribed in emblem but really happens in the portals of courts.

3. Instant case is a glaring exa