TRIAL OF WARRANT CASES BY MAGISTRATES – CASES INSTITUTED OTHERWISE THAN ON POLICE REPORT.

TRIAL OF WARRANT CASES BY MAGISTRATES – CASES INSTITUTED OTHERWISE THAN ON POLICE REPORT.

Section 244 of criminal procedure code, the statute, deals with evidence for prosecution.

1)    When, in any warrant – case instituted otherwise than on a police report, the accused appears or is brought before a magistrate, the magistrate shall proceed to hear the prosecution and take all such evidence as may be produced in support of the prosecution.

2)    The magistrate may on the application of the prosecution, issue summons to any of its witnesses directing him to attend or to produce any document or other thing.

Section 245 of criminal procedure code, the statute, deals with, when accused shall be discharged.

1)    If upon taking all evidence referred to in section 244, the magistrate considers, for reasons to be recorded, that no case against the accused has been made out which, if unrebutted, would warrant his conviction, the magistrate shall discharge him.

2)    Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prevent a magistrate from discharging the accused at any previous stage of the case if, for reasons to be recorded by such magistrate, he considers the charge to be groundless.

Section 246 of criminal procedure code, the statute, deals with the procedure where accused is not discharged.

1)    If, when such evidence has been taken, or at any previous stage of the case, the magistrate is of opinion that there is ground for presuming that the accused has committed an offence triable under this chapter, which such magistrate is competent to try and which, in his opinion, could be adequately punished by him, he shall frame in writing a charge against the accused.

2)    The charge shall then be read and explained to the accused, and he shall be asked whether he pleads guilty or has any defence to make.

3)    If the accused pleads guilty, the magistrate shall record the plea, and may, in his discretion, convict him thereon.

4)    If the accused refuses to plead, or does not plead, or claims to be tried or if the accused is not convicted under sub section (3) he shall be required to state, at the commencement of the next hearing of the case, or, if the magistrate for the reasons to be recorded in writing so thinks fit, forthwith, whether he wishes to cross examine any, and if so, which of the witnesses for the prosecution whose evidence has been taken.

5)    If he says  he does so wish, the witnesses named by him shall be recalled and, after cross examination and re examination  (if any), they  shall also be discharged.

6)    The evidence of any remaining witnesses for the prosecution shall next be taken, and after cross examination and re examination (if any), they shall also be discharged.

Section 247 of criminal procedure code, the statute, deals with evidence for defence. The accused shall then be called upon to enter upon his defence and produce his evidence, and the provisions of section 243 shall apply to the case.