Professional Documents
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IN A CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION
Making a Case for a more pro-active Magistracy
within the existing procedural framework.
by Bharat Chugh (Judge - Delhi)
This paper makes a case for a more pro-active &
responsive magistracy. It is an endeavour to
“
highlight the areas in which magistrates, as the
protectors of rights of people, can make
meaningful interventions during investigation,
with a view to protect liberty and also to ensure
an effective investigation. An attempt would be
made to analyse the relevant statutory provisions
and case law on the subject, and also to draw
comparative insights from the conception and
role of a Magistrate in the french criminal justice
system.
CASE FOR A MORE RESPONSIVE AND PRO-ACTIVE MAGISTRACY.
➤ The magistrates have to drop minimalism as the ruling mantra, and pro-
actively act as the protector of rights (especially the weaker sections) and
correct wrongs.
➤ Magistrates being judiciary’s first interface with the public at large, and the
courts of first resort, ought to jealously guard personal liberty and
constitutional rights and have a greater responsibility on their shoulders.
Investigation is the stage where most excesses take place. Investigation
also forms the basis for the superstructure of the trial and faux pas in
investigations and unjust prosecutions are best checked by magisterial
vigil, right from the point of registration of FIR, throughout the
investigation, and later even after filing of police report. Magisterial checks
and balance, therefore, is the pressing desideratum.
➤ The next section deals with the statutory provisions & judicial decisions
that permit the exercise of such interventions, at various stages of the
investigation and even during inquiry.
“
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our
stars, but in ourselves, that we are
underlings. ”
5
-Julius Caesar,Shakespeare
STAGES WHERE MAGISTERIAL VIGIL NEEDED.
Typically, magisterial vigil is required at four stages in an investigation :-
1.Stage – I – Soon after the Registration of FIR
2.Stage – I – In cases where arrest is effected by the IO, on his
production before the court and while deciding the question of validity
of arrest and need for remand.
3. Stage – III- While deciding applications like recording of
statement u/s 164 of the Cr.P.C/TIP/Handwriting Samples/Narco
Analysis/Voice Samples.
4. Stage – IV – Broad supervision, otherwise during investigation and
witness protection.
5. Stage – V – Further investigation post filing of police report u/s
173 of the Cr.P.C
STAGE – I – SOON AFTER THE REGISTRATION OF FIR
➤ Sending of occurrence report to the Magistrate (Section 158) to bring
the matter within magisterial scrutiny. The magistrate at that stage
may order investigation/enquire himself (Section 159 of the Cr.P.C)
➤ Occurrence Report in Heinous offences (like Murder) at the residence
of the concerned MM or Duty MM. DHC rules demand that the
magistrate makes an endorsement on the copy of the FIR regarding
time of receipt and place of receipt (for eg : the undersigned's
residence) and place on record the envelop and FIR (or the
occurrence report). Delhi High Court Rules – Vol III, Chapter 11,
Part A, Rule 4.
➤ By virtue of a recent decision of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court -
occurrence reports have to be forwarded to the magistrates through
email. This mechanism is currently being worked out.
➤ The magistrate, on receiving a report in which the police
officer indicates that he is not taking up investigation, may
direct investigation nevertheless, or if he thinks fit, proceed at
once to the spot, to hold a preliminary enquiry himself.
➤ The latter course, however, is rarely adopted, more because of
the burgeoning case load, I must add, than a sense of apathy.
However, wherever warranted, the Magistrate should not
hesitate to exercise this power to get to the bottom of the
matter.
“
“Eternal Vigilance, is the price of
liberty....”
14
-Thomas Jefferson.
STAGE II – FIRST PRODUCTION (AT ARREST OF THE ACCUSED)
Checklist :
✔ Nature of the offence
○ Bailable/Non Bailable;
○ Cognizable/Non cognizable;
○ Special Designated court, if any ?
✔ Ensure Arrest Memo/Medical Examination Report (to see whether accused
subjected to any torture, also to preserve evidence in a case of sexual assault etc(Section
53/53A/164A Cr.P.C)/Ensure production within 24 hours of arrest/information to
relatives/Age of the Accused.
✔ Ld.Magistrates to ensure that when a person arrested is produced before them for
remand, the police places before them copies of FIR/Zimnis/Case Diaries (Duly
paginated as per Section 172 (1-B) of the Cr.P.C). The Magistrate shall record reasons for
grant of remand and shall sign and date every page of the case diaries or copies thereof
in token of his having seen them. Delhi High Court Rules – Vol III, Chapter 11, Part
B, Rule 3.
✔ Ensure Legal Representation - The accused has a right to have a counsel
even at the stage of first production before the magistrate. If no private
counsel – ensure Legal Aid Advocate/Remand Advocate from DLSA is
present. (Md. Ajmal Amir Kasab v. State of Maharashtra (2012) 9 SCC 1)
✔ In cases covered u/s 41(1)(b) of the Cr.P.C i.e where the case relates to
offence punishable with 7 years or less, arrest can be made only on
satisfaction recorded in writing to the effect that the arrest is imperative for :-
✔ prevention of further offences;
✔ proper investigation of the offence;
✔ prevention of tampering or disappearance of evidence;
✔ prevention of any undue influence/threat to the complainant or witnesses;
✔ ensuring his presence in the court;
✔ These reasons need to be recorded in writing, and detailed in the
application for remand.
✔ The sufficiency of reasons recorded by the police officer is to be
examined by the Ld.Magistrates. Detention/Remand is not a mechanical
Act. (Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar – 2014 8 SCC 273) Remand order
has to be reasoned order. Mere mechanical reproduction of above elements
in Remand Application to be deprecated. These conditions have to be
justified in the facts of each case.
✔ The police officer in cases where arrest is not required, should serve
notice u/s 41A of the Cr.P.C on the accused. This would ensure participation
in investigation. If the accused does not comply with the notice – he can be
arrested.
✔ If the police officer is of the opinion that there is no sufficient evidence
to justify forwarding of the accused to the magistrate – he shall release the
accused on bail or recognizance and shall send a report through the proper
officer to the Ld.Magistrate having jurisdiction. (Section 169 of the Cr.P.C)
✔ If the arrest seems unwarranted. Ld. Magistrate can also release the
person by a special order u/s 59 of the Cr.P.C. (Please note that this
Release is distinct from bail, with or without bonds)
✔ No women shall be arrested between sunset and sunrise, except with
prior permission of the Magistrate and too in exceptional circumstances and
by a woman police officer only (Section 46(4) of the Cr.P.C).
✔ When seized of the matter for the first time, do enquire about the victim
of the crime and whether he needs immediate first aid or any other interim
compensation. Recommendation can be made in that regard by the SHO or the
magistrate concerned herself (Section 357A(6) of the Cr.P.C). DLSA shall go
on to grant compensation in accordance with the victim compensation scheme.
(Immediate Succour to Victims/Restorative Justice)
Statutory sanction for Rahdari, in case prisoner not received by prison
authorities on account of having been brought late – Rule XVI, Vol III,
Chapter 27 of the Delhi High Court Rules.
As per Delhi Jail Manual, women prisoners are to be received at all hours,
however, male prisoners are not admitted into the Jail after the counting for
the day has done, except on a special order of the District Judge/DM.
SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS IN CASES OF JUVENILES
✔ In case of person arrested being within 18 to 21 years of age. The IO of the
case has to mandatorily prepare an age memo and court also has to conduct an
age inquiry in such cases if juvenility is pleaded. The copies of such age memo
have to be provided by the IO to accused, his/her family members and officials of
DLSA. (Court on it’s own motion versus Dept of Women and Child
Development &Ors – WP(c) 8889 of 2011, Date of Decision – 11.05.2012).
✔ Whenever plea of juvenility is taken by an accused. The age determination
enquiry has to be conducted by the court only in accordance with Section 7A of
the JJ Act and Rule 12 of the Delhi JJ Rules, 2009.
✔ Where, in the opinion of the Ld.Magistrate, the accused is patently(from
physical appearance or otherwise) below 18, the court shall immediately transfer
the child to observation home and order production of the juvenile before the JJB
concerned and direct the Ahlmad to send the file complete in all respects to the
JJB concerned.
In other cases, the inquiry has to be conducted by the court, and if
the accused turns out to be a juvenile, he shall be ordered to be
transferred to observation home the same day and if person has turned
an adult on the date of such order, in that case, to a place of safety.
Ahlmadto send the file to JJB complete in all respects for enquiry.
✔ If there is an adult co-accused, then copy of the judicial file shall be
prepared by such court and forwarded to JJB concerned. (Court on it’s
own motion versus Dept of Women and Child Development &Ors
– WP(c) 8889 of 2011, Date of Decision – 11.05.2012).
✔ Age inquiry is a summary inquiry and not a full blown investigation
or trial. Oral evidence need not be recorded. Lengthy examination/
cross examination is out of question. The input for such an inquiry
may be documents or even prima facie opinion on the basis of
appearance. Ashwani Kumar Saxena v. State of M.P (2012) 9 SCC
750.
✔ The documents forming basic input for age enquiry are :-
■ Date of birth certificate from school first attended (not the play school);
and in absence whereof;
■ Birth certificate by corporation/municipal authority or a panchayat;
■ Matriculation or equivalent certificates, if available;
■ And only in the absence of above – medical board, who shall, in case age
cannot be ascertained with exactitude, give benefit of one year to the accused
on the lower side, and give opinion; the court to declare juvenility on the
basis of this. Order once made is conclusive on the point.
✔ Age inquiry to be completed in 30 days. (Rule 12 of the Delhi JJA
Rules, 2009)
✔ At the end of 60-90 days of remand, if investigation still pending, and
application for statutory bail u/s 167(2) Cr.P.C made – it has to be decided on
the same date. (Union of India through CBI v. Nirala Yadav – 2014 SC)
POLICE REMAND
➤
In cases of Police Remand - Ensure a police officer not below the rank of
Sub Inspector moves the application.
➤
✔Ensure medical examination done before the grant of PC and done
subsequently again before production the next day or thereafter. In case of
doubt, order medical by independent board of doctors.
➤
✔Always record reasons. (Section 167(2) Cr.P.C). Only in cases where PC is
imperative for investigation/disclosure statement etc, should it be granted.
Point to remember : Law generally dis-favours extended custody with police
unless unavoidable. (CBI v. Anupam J. Kulkarni – AIR 1992 SC 1768
➤ Ensure no confession to police is admitted. Confessions made to police
should not be allowed to be led indoors by the backdoor of S.27 by terming
them as disclosure statements (where no physical fact is discovered in
pursuance of the information)
STAGE – III – WHILE RECORDING STATEMENTS U/S 164 ETC..
✔ Normally applications u/s 164 Cr.P.C are sponsored by the
prosecution/IO. However in cases of sexual assault (Sections 354, 354A to
D, 376, 376A to E, 509 IPC) on women, the magistrate shall record the
statement of the persons against whom such offence is committed, as
soon as the commission of the offence is brought to the notice of the
police. Therefore as per amended S. 165(5A) a duty is cast on the
magistrate to record the statement, and this obligation is not conditional
on the IO moving an application to that effect. It is to be noted that this
view has to be balanced with Joginder Nahak v. State of Orissa – 2004
SC, wherein the Court held that an witness (unsponsored by the IO)
cannot seek to get his examination recorded u/s 164 Cr.P.C. The new
amendments can be read to have carved out an exception to the above rule
in cases of women complaining of sexual assault, whose statement can be
recorded even without sponsorship by the IO. However the magistrate
should still be careful about the identity of the witness/complainant.
✔ Another exception in Mahabir Singh v. State of Haryana
(2001 SC) to the effect that an accused can move to confess the
crime, straightaway before the magistrate, however in that
situation, the magistrate has to ensure his identity as the
accused and also the fact that investigation in that offence is
currently underway, otherwise such statement shall not be in the
course of investigation and therefore not a valid statement u/s
164 of the Cr.P.C.
✔ In case of witness being rustic/illiterate, the magistrate is
duty bound to cull out the truth from him, by asking the
relevant questions. (R.Shaji v. State of Kerala (2013)
✔ In POCSO cases – parent/support person to be present.
Assistance of Special Educator/Translator may be invoked.
✔ Recording of explicit consent (after opportunity to consult
and in presence of lawyer) material in cases of applications for
handwriting/voice samples/narco analysis.
✔ TIP, at whose behest ? Section 54A of the Cr.P.C
(Identification of the person arrested) does not place fetters on
the powers of the magistrate to order TIP and at whose behest it
is to be conducted. The only pre-condition for exercise being the
necessity of the same for the purpose of investigation.
STAGE – IV – BROAD SUPERVISION DURING INVESTIGATION.
✔ Magistrate has to walk the tightrope and balance two conflicting
ideas, on one side the separation of executive from judiciary, namely
the autonomy of investigation on one hand, and on the other, the
imperatives of a fair, free and impartial investigation and to ensure
that an investigation is an effective investigation. This is a
circumstantial balance to be struck by the magistrate as per the
facts of the case. For eg : the magistrate cannot or rather ought not
to direct the IO to do a particular thing, however, he can ask the IO
to investigate from a particular angle.
✔ This power springs from Section 156(3) Cr.P.C only, by virtue of
the doctrine of implied powers. Where the statute gives a particular
power, it impliedly gives all the powers necessary to make the said
power effective. (Sakiri Vasu v. State (2008) SC)
✔ The exact import of word 'monitoring' of investigation is
circumstantial. The magistrate has to ensure it is an effective
investigation.
✔ The correctness of Sakiri Vasu has been questioned
subsequently by the SC in Nirmal Singh Kahlon (2009) 2 judges
bench, however nothing conclusive has been held in this regard
and only passing reference is made to the effect that the decision
needs reconsideration.
✔ SC has however followed Sakiri Vasu subsequently in
T.C.Thangraj v. V.Engammal, 2011 SC and many other decisions.
The exact import of word 'monitoring of investigation’ is too
circumstantial to be put in a straitjacket. Placing a narrow
interpretation on the phrase will render it sterile. The phrase,
therefore, ought to receive a social context or liberal
interpretation. Illustrative cases, where the power to pass
necessary directions may be used are : to protect witnesses,
check disregard of vital evidence (which may get obliterated in
course of time), non- examination of witnesses, deliberate
shielding of some accused, or the investigating officer being
interested in the case. In such cases, a magistrate ought to push
the envelope and actively monitor the investigation, while
avoiding investigating himself, or directing investigation by a
specific agency, with respect to which there is a specific embargo
on the powers of the magistrate.
The Malimath Committee had recommended that a provision on the
following lines be added immediately below Section 311 of the CrPC :
Power to issue directions regarding investigation