Author: Himanshi Meena

Wrongful Convictions and Compensation in India Abstract Wrongful convictions represent one of the gravest failures of a criminal justice system, punishing the innocent while allowing real perpetrators to remain free. In India, cases such as those of Wahid Sheikh, Syed Wasif Haidar, and Gopal Shete reveal the devastating consequences of wrongful prosecution and prolonged incarceration. Victims lose their most productive years, suffer stigma, financial ruin, family breakdowns, deteriorating health, and long-term psychological trauma. Data from Prison Statistics India (2019) shows that nearly 69% of the prison population consists of undertrials, reflecting systemic flaws such as custodial torture, unreliable witnesses, weak…