Patna: Justice Shivaji Pandey, Justice A. Amanullah, Justice Nilu Agrawal and Justice Rajeev Ranjan Prasad of Patna High Court on Friday inaugurated a witness shed at Patna city civil court and said witnesses should be taken care of as they are vital to every case.

"Witnesses are the court's mirror. In any case, the contribution of witness is of vital importance. The outcome of any case depends on statements of witnesses. Therefore, they (witnesses) should be provided basic facilities," said Justice Shivaji Pandey.

He asked lower courts not to return the witnesses and in any case witnesses accounts are not taken on a given day, his/her (witnesses') statements must be taken the next day.

Justice Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said there should be a makeshift facility for lodging of witnesses who come from far-flung places so that they can give statements without any fear or bias.

Justice Amanullah said: "If any witness comes to the court to give statement, he/she should not be under any duress."

Earlier, a witness shade was built for witnesses in Patna civil court also.

The former Bihar Bar council member and Patna civil court Bar association president Jai Prakash Singh told The Telegraph that no witness shed exists barring Patna civil court and Patna city civil court in entire Bihar because of which witnesses have to face a lot of trouble. He said witnesses come from as far as 50km but there was no facility available in lower courts throughout the state.