In Brief
In this criminal appeal concerning the Maruti Suzuki factory incident, the Court examined whether the High Court was right to allow the accused to recall prosecution witnesses on grounds of counsel's illness and alleged inadvertent omissions during cross-examination. The Supreme Court held that while Section 311 CrPC grants broad discretion to recall witnesses, this power cannot be invoked merely because counsel changed or was ill. Fair trial, though a constitutional right, must balance the interests of the accused, victim, and society. The Court set aside the High Court's order and restored the trial court's rejection, emphasizing that witness recall must be essential for just decision, not a tool to correct every procedural oversight or to facilitate a retrial in substance.
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