Cop dog an instrument, not witness, rules HC

THE Orissa High Court has observed that a police dog is not a witness but a mere "tracking instrument" with the handler reporting its behaviour, owing to which its evidence cannot be relied upon to prove guilt in the absence of proper procedural safeguards and corroboration.

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The division bench of Justice B.P. Routray and Justice Chittaranjan Dash said, "Since the dog cannot testify in court, its handler must provide evidence regarding the dog's behaviour. This introduces a layer of hearsay, as the handler is merely interpreting the dog's reactions rather than providing direct evidence."