A hostile witness is a person who conceals a part of the truth or willfully gives completely false evidence under oath in a court of law and is punishable under:
In many jurisdictions, giving false evidence under oath is considered perjury. Perjury is a criminal offense. In the US, for example, perjury is covered under federal law, like 18 U.S. Code § 1621. But the question might be referring to a specific section in a country's legal code. Since the options aren't provided, but the correct answer is given as an option, maybe the answer is Section 193 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for perjury. Wait, the question mentions "hostile witness," which might be a term used in some legal systems. Alternatively, in some countries, false evidence under oath is covered under a different section. For example, in India, Section 191 IPC deals with giving false evidence, and Section 193 makes it a cognizable offense. So if the question is in the context of Indian law, the answer would be Section 193 IPC. Let me confirm: Section 191 IPC is about giving false evidence, and Section 193 makes it punishable. So the correct answer would be under Section 193 IPC. Therefore, the correct answer is the option that states Section 193 IPC. The other options might be other sections related to different offenses. For example, Section 191 might be the definition of the offense, but the punishment is under 193. So the answer is Section 193 IPC.
**Core Concept**
This question tests knowledge of legal penalties for providing false testimony under oath. In jurisdictions like India, perjury (false or misleading evidence in court) is governed by specific sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), particularly Sections 191 and 193. A "hostile witness" may be charged under these provisions if they intentionally withhold or distort information.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
Section 193 of the IPC criminalizes giving false evidence under oath, punishable by imprisonment up to 7 years. A hostile witness who conceals part of the truth or deliberately lies violates this law, as their actions undermine judicial integrity. Section 191 defines the offense (false evidence), but Section 193 explicitly outlines the punishment, making it the correct legal reference in this context.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** Section 191 IPC defines the act of giving false evidence but does not specify punishment, which is reserved for Section 193.
**Option B:** Section 192 IPC relates to fabricating evidence, not false testimony by a witness.
**Option C:** Section 194 IPC addresses false statements to public servants, not judicial proceedings.
**Option D:** Section 195 IPC pertains to giving false evidence in specific contexts like bankruptcy cases, not general court testimony.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Remember **"191 defines, 193 penalizes"** for perjury under the IPC. Confusing Sections 191 and