SECTION 173 CrPC - Code of Criminal Procedure - Report of police officer on completion of investigation

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(1) Every investigation under this Chapter shall be completed without unnecessary delay

(2) (i) As soon as it is completed, the officer in charge of the police station shall forward to a Magistrate empowered to take cognizance of the offence on a police report, a report in the form prescribed by the State Government, stating—

(a) the names of the parties;

(b) the nature of the information;

(c) the names of the persons who appear to be acquainted with the circumstances of the case;

(d) whether any offence appears to have been committed and, if so, by whom;

(e) whether the accused has been arrested;

(f) whether he has been released on his bond and, if so, whether with or without sureties;

(g) whether he has been forwarded in custody under section 170

(ii) The officer shall also communicate, in such manner as may be prescribed by the State Government, the action taken by him, to the person, if any whom the information relating to the commission of the offence was first given

(3) Where a superior officer of police has been appointed under section 158, the report, shall, in any case in which the State Government by general or special order so directs, be submitted through that officer, and he may, pending the orders of the Magistrate, direct the officer in charge of the police station to make further investigation

(4) Whenever it appears from a report forwarded under this section that the accused has been released on his bond, the Magistrate shall make such order for the discharge of such bond or otherwise as he thinks fit

(5) When such report is in respect of a case to which section 170 applies, the police officer shall forward to the Magistrate along with the report—

(a) all documents or relevant extracts thereof on which the prosecution proposes to rely other than those already sent to the Magistrate during investigation;

(b) the statements recorded under section 161 of all the persons whom the prosecution proposes to examine as its witnesses

(6) If the police officer is of opinion that any part of any such statement is not relevant to the subject-matter of the proceeding or that its disclosure to the accused is not essential in the interests of justice and is inexpedient in the public interest, he shall indicate that part of the statement and append a note requesting the Magistrate to exclude that part from the copies to be granted to the accused and stating his reasons for making such request

(7) Where the police officer investigating the case finds it convenient so to do, he may furnish to the accused copies of all or any of the documents referred to in sub-section (5)

(8) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to preclude further investigation in respect of an offence after a report under sub-section (2) has been forwarded to the Magistrate and, where upon such investigation, the officer in charge of the police station obtains further evidence, oral or documentary, he shall forward to the Magistrate a further report or reports regarding such evidence in the form prescribed; and the provisions of sub-sections (2) to (6) shall, as far as may be, apply in relation to such report or reports as they apply in relation to a report forwarded under sub-section (2)

Comments

(i) The "police report" (result of investigation under Chapter XII of the Code of Criminal Procedure is a conclusion that an investigating officer draws on the basis of materials collected during investigation and such conclusion can only form the basis of a competent Court to take cognizance there upon under section 190 (1) (b) of the Code and to proceed with the case for trial, and it cannot rely on the investigation or the result thereof; Kaptan Singh v State of Madhya Pradesh, (1997) 4 Supreme 211

(ii) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 section 173 (8) - reinvestigation - Power of police to conduct further investigation, even after laying final report, is recognised under section 173 (8) of Cr P; Sri BSSVVV Maharaj v State of Uttar Pradesh, 1999 Cr LJ 3661 (SC)

(iii) Direction to police to conduct further investigation of case Court not obliged to hear the accused; Shri Bhagwan Samardha Sree Pada Vallabha Venkata Vishwandadha Maharaj v State of Andhra Pradesh, 1999 AIR (SC) 2332: 1999 (5) SC C 740: 1999 (4) JT 537 ]

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