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CrPC, 1973
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CrPCChapter XIISection 172
Section172

Diary of proceeding in investigation

AI Assist

Summary

Police must keep a day-by-day case diary during investigation, recording when information reached them, when investigation began and ended, places visited, and circumstances discovered. Statements recorded under section 161 must be inserted and the diary kept as a duly paginated volume. A criminal court may call the diary to aid its inquiry but it is not evidence. The accused cannot demand or inspect it unless it is used to refresh or contradict a police witness, when evidence-law rules apply.

Example

Priya files an FIR about a stolen motorcycle. The investigating officer notes when he received the information, when he began and closed searches, the places he visited, and inserts witness statements recorded under section 161 into the paginated case diary. Later the criminal court asks to see the diary to aid its inquiry; Priya cannot demand inspection unless the officer uses it to refresh his memory or the court uses it to contradict him.

Bare Act

Enacted text

(1) Every police officer making an investigation under this Chapter shall day by day enter his proceeding in the investigation in a diary, setting forth the time at which the information reached him, the time at which he began and closed his investigation, the place or places visited by Mm, and a statement of the circumstances ascertained through his investigation.

1A. The statements of witnesses recorded during the course of investigation under section 161 shall be inserted in the case diary.

1B. The diary referred to in sub-section (1) shall be a volume and duly paginated.

(2) Any Criminal Court may send for the police diaries of a case under inquiry or trial in such Court, and may use such diaries, not as evidence in the case, but to aid it in such inquiry or trial.

(3) Neither the accused nor his agents shall be entitled to call for such diaries, nor shall he or they be entitled to see them merely because they are referred to by the Court; but, if they are used by the police officer who made them to refresh his memory, or if the Court uses them for the purpose of contradicting such police officer, the provisions of section 161 or section 145, as the case may be, of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), shall apply.

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XII

Chapter XII

Information To The Police And Their Powers To Investigate

In this chapter

  • 154Information in cognizable cases
  • 155Information as to non-cognizable cases and investigation of such cases
  • 156Police officer’s power to investigate cognizable cases
  • 157Procedure for investigation
  • 158Report how submitted
  • 159Power to hold investigation or preliminary inquiry
  • 160Police Officer’s power to require attendance of witnesses
  • 161Examination of witnesses by police
  • 162Statements to police not to be signed: Use of statements in evidence
  • 163No inducement to be offered
  • 164Recording of confessions and statements
  • 164AMedical examination of the victim of rape
  • 165Search by police officer
  • 166When officer in charge of police station may require another to issue search-warrant
  • 166ALetter of request to competent authority for investigation in a country or place outside India
  • 166BLetter of request from a country or place outside India to a Court or an authority for investigation in India
  • 167Procedure when investigation cannot be completed in twenty-four hours
  • 168Report of investigation by subordinate police officer
  • 169Release of accused when evidence deficient
  • 170Cases to be sent to Magistrate when evidence is sufficient
  • 171Complainant and witnesses not to be required to accompany police officer and not to be subject to restraint
  • 172Diary of proceeding in investigation
  • 173Report of police officer on completion of investigation
  • 174Police to inquire and report on suicide, etc
  • 175Power to summon persons
  • 176Inquiry by Magistrate into cause of death
Previous · Section 171Complainant and witnesses not to be required to accompany police officer and not to be subject to restraintNext · Section 173Report of police officer on completion of investigation