Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
21. Accused person to be a competent witness
Any person charged with an offence punishable
under this Act, shall be a competent witness for the defense and may give
evidence on oath in disproof of the charges made against him or any person
charged together with him at the same trial:
Provided that-
(a) he shall not be called as a witness except
at his own request;
(b) his failure to give evidence shall not be
made the subject of any comment by the prosecution or give rise to any
presumption against himself or any person charged together with him at the same
trial;
(c) he shall not be asked, and if asked shall
not be required to answer, any question tending to show that he has committed
or been convicted of any offence other than the offence with which he is
charged, or is of bad character, unless-
(i) the proof that he
has committed or been convicted of such offence is admissible evidence to that
he is guilty of the offence with which he is charged, or
(ii) he has personally
or by his pleader asked any question of any witness for the prosecution with a
view to establish his own good character, or has given evidence of his good
character, or the nature or conduct of the defense is such as to involve
imputations on the character of the prosecutor or of any witness for the
prosecution, or
(iii) he has given
evidence against any other person charged with the same offence.