498a discharge, case documents, contrary evidences

As per S.207/208 - Accused is entitled to the documents filed against him in chargesheet when the court takes cognizance. He is though not entitled to inner case diary as per the mandate of S.172 CrPC. Such case diary can only be procured when at the trial the IO while deposing refreshes his memory from his case diary or when court puts across questions to the IO on the basis of case diary. Otherwise accused has no right to get the same. 

As regards testimony of related witnesses, there is no straitjacket rule - that when a a witness is related - his testimony has to be thrown out. Normally in such cases courts believe that relatives are the only natural witnesses. However how sustainable their testimony is depends on the fact they are deposing on, their overall demenaour/conduct etc.  Court has to appraise after cross whether their testimony inspires confidence. 

As regards defence witnesses - accused can also lead defence testimony via his relatives, and defence witnesses are entitled to the same credence as prosecution witnesses (though in practice courts rarely believe this), and there is no majority rule - evidence is not a quantitative test - but a qualitative one, one never wins by majority, it is not the pluraility of witnesses that is important but their testimonial worth and credibility.

Accused's evidence is to be led in due course, at teh stage of discharge accused has no right to lead evidence or produce documents. However if the case is palpably false High Court can be approached u/s 482 where it can see unimpeachable documents and quash.