Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c13.24

c13.24

The principal check upon the indiscretions of the judges was the punishment they incurred for their laches and iniquity. The report of the informants had to be utilized therefore with great care, and, with its chances of abuse minimized, it was meant to help the judges sometimes by creating suspicions in their minds which prompted them to sift the evidence more cautiously, and sometimes by corroborating the conclusion pointed to by the statements of the witnesses.