# PARIDA BABAJI PARIDA v. STATE OF ORISSA tlpril 16, 1975

- **Citation:** [1975] Supp. 1 S.C.R. 137
- **Court:** Supreme Court of India
- **Decided:** 1974-03-08
- **Case number:** ': Criminal Appeal No. 359 of 1974
- **Bench:** N. L UNTWALIA ANDS. MURTAzA FAZAL ALI
- **Source:** https://unisonlegal.in/judgment/supreme-court-of-india/parida-babaji-parida-v-state-of-orissa-tlpril-16-1975-6450
- **Pages:** 8

## Headnote

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, Sections 167 and 344-Remand of an
.accused to custody-Courts, if .~ave inherent power.
B
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, Sections 167(1), Proviso (a) to SecC
tion 167(2), 428 and 484(2)(a)-lnvestigation pending at the commencement of the Act and not completed wi1hin the period of 60 days-Accused,
if ha.! a right to be released on bail.
In respect of an occurrence which took place on 8th March, 1974, at
a place in the DistriCt of Cuttack, a police investigation commenced in Con~
nection with the offences alleged to have been committed under sections
D
147, 148,
307~ 302 simpliciter as also with the aid of section 149 of the
Indian Penal Code. Of the eight persons arrested during investigation, four
have been enlarged on bail by the Sessiora Judge of Cuttack, but the learned
Sessions Judge refused to grant bail to the four
appellants.
Their cont.ention based on proviso (a) to sub-section (2) of Section 167 of the Code
of Criminal Procedure, 1973, was rejected by the learned Judge relyinx on
the saving clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 484. The High Court E
a1so rejected their contention. This appeal has been filed on the basis of
the special leave granted by the Supreme Court.
HEID : (i) A Magistrate having jurisdiction to try a case could remand
an accused to jail custoO.'y from time to time during the pendency of the
investigation in exercise of the power under section 344 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. In other words, the power of remand by the Magis.
trate during the process of investigation and collection of evidence was an
integral part of the process. The power was meant to be exercised whenever necessary to aid the investigation and collection of
further
evidence.
[141E-F]
F
A. Lakshmanrar) v. Judicial
Magistrale, First Class Parvatipuram and
others, [1970] 3 S.C.C. 501 and Gouri Shankar !ha v. Tlie State of Bihar and
others, [1972] 1 S.C.C. 564, relied on.
G
.f..
The Superintendent and Remembrancer of Legal Affairs Governmen1 of
West Bengal v. Bidhindra Kumar Roy and others, A.I.R. 1949, Calcutta 143;
Chandradin Dubey v. The State, 1955 Bihar Law Journal Reports, 323; Dukhi
and another v. State and another, A.I.R. 1955 Allahabad, 521; Shrilal Nanclram
& Another, v. R. R. Agrawal, S. D. M. First Class, Gwalior and
anather
Kuttan, A.l.R. 1964, Kerala, 232; Artatran Mahasuara and others v State of H
Orissa, A.LR. 1956 Orissa, referred to.
·
(ii) ·courts will have no inherent power of remand of an accused to any
custody unless the power is conferred by law. The High Court has erred in
assuming, without reference to section 344 of the old Code that $UCh a
power existed.
[1400]
'
(iii) The COlllll)and of the Legislature in proviso(a) to section 167(2)
pf the. new Code IS that the accused person has got to be released on bail
if he is prepar~d to and does furnish bail and cannot be kept in detention
~yond the period of 60 ?ays even if the investigation may still be proceed.
ing. 1\}thongh !he expression 'reasonable cause' occurring in sub-section (lA)
of ""ction 3~4 IS no "'.here to be found in section. 309 of the New
Code,
the. explanation to section. 344 of the. Old Code has been retained as explanation 1 w Section 309 m .the identical language. The law as engrafted in
138
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1975]' SUPP. s.c.R.
A
proviso (a) to section 167(2) and section 309(2) of the New Code confers
the po\\·ers of remand to jail custody during the pendency of the investigation
only under the fonner and not under the latter. S'!ction 309(2) is attracted
r
B
only after cognizance of an offence bas been taken or commencement of trial
has proceeded. [142G-H]
Quere : \Vhat is the purpose of Explanation-1 in section 309 of
the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
(iv) Unlike the wordings of section 428 the language of section 167(1)
\Vhich will govern .sub-section (2) also,
is-"whCnever any person is arrested", suggesting thereby that the section would be attracted when the arrest
h; made a

## Text

-
•
137
NATABAR PARIDA BISNU CHARAN PARIDA BATAKRUSHNA
A
. PARIDA BABAJI PARIDA
v.
STATE OF ORISSA
tlpril 16, 1975
[N. L UNTWALIA ANDS. MURTAzA FAZAL ALI, JJ.]
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, Sections 167 and 344-Remand of an
.accused to custody-Courts, if .~ave inherent power.
B
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, Sections 167(1), Proviso (a) to SecC
tion 167(2), 428 and 484(2)(a)-lnvestigation pending at the commencement of the Act and not completed wi1hin the period of 60 days-Accused,
if ha.! a right to be released on bail.
In respect of an occurrence which took place on 8th March, 1974, at
a place in the DistriCt of Cuttack, a police investigation commenced in Con~
nection with the offences alleged to have been committed under sections
D
147, 148,
307~ 302 simpliciter as also with the aid of section 149 of the
Indian Penal Code. Of the eight persons arrested during investigation, four
have been enlarged on bail by the Sessiora Judge of Cuttack, but the learned
Sessions Judge refused to grant bail to the four
appellants.
Their cont.ention based on proviso (a) to sub-section (2) of Section 167 of the Code
of Criminal Procedure, 1973, was rejected by the learned Judge relyinx on
the saving clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 484. The High Court E
a1so rejected their contention. This appeal has been filed on the basis of
the special leave granted by the Supreme Court.
HEID : (i) A Magistrate having jurisdiction to try a case could remand
an accused to jail custoO.'y from time to time during the pendency of the
investigation in exercise of the power under section 344 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. In other words, the power of remand by the Magis.
trate during the process of investigation and collection of evidence was an
integral part of the process. The power was meant to be exercised whenever necessary to aid the investigation and collection of
further
evidence.
[141E-F]
F
A. Lakshmanrar) v. Judicial
Magistrale, First Class Parvatipuram and
others, [1970] 3 S.C.C. 501 and Gouri Shankar !ha v. Tlie State of Bihar and
others, [1972] 1 S.C.C. 564, relied on.
G
.f..
The Superintendent and Remembrancer of Legal Affairs Governmen1 of
West Bengal v. Bidhindra Kumar Roy and others, A.I.R. 1949, Calcutta 143;
Chandradin Dubey v. The State, 1955 Bihar Law Journal Reports, 323; Dukhi
and another v. State and another, A.I.R. 1955 Allahabad, 521; Shrilal Nanclram
& Another, v. R. R. Agrawal, S. D. M. First Class, Gwalior and
anather
Kuttan, A.l.R. 1964, Kerala, 232; Artatran Mahasuara and others v State of H
Orissa, A.LR. 1956 Orissa, referred to.
·
(ii) ·courts will have no inherent power of remand of an accused to any
custody unless the power is conferred by law. The High Court has erred in
assuming, without reference to section 344 of the old Code that $UCh a
power existed.
[1400]
'
(iii) The COlllll)and of the Legislature in proviso(a) to section 167(2)
pf the. new Code IS that the accused person has got to be released on bail
if he is prepar~d to and does furnish bail and cannot be kept in detention
~yond the period of 60 ?ays even if the investigation may still be proceed.
ing. 1\}thongh !he expression 'reasonable cause' occurring in sub-section (lA)
of ""ction 3~4 IS no "'.here to be found in section. 309 of the New
Code,
the. explanation to section. 344 of the. Old Code has been retained as explanation 1 w Section 309 m .the identical language. The law as engrafted in
138
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1975]' SUPP. s.c.R.
A
proviso (a) to section 167(2) and section 309(2) of the New Code confers
the po\\·ers of remand to jail custody during the pendency of the investigation
only under the fonner and not under the latter. S'!ction 309(2) is attracted
r
B
only after cognizance of an offence bas been taken or commencement of trial
has proceeded. [142G-H]
Quere : \Vhat is the purpose of Explanation-1 in section 309 of
the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
(iv) Unlike the wordings of section 428 the language of section 167(1)
\Vhich will govern .sub-section (2) also,
is-"whCnever any person is arrested", suggesting thereby that the section would be attracted when the arrest
h; made after coming into force of the Act of 1973. The expression used
in section 428 is "where an accused person has, on conviction been sentenced ..... ". To the facts of the present care, clause (a) of sub·section (2)
of section 484 will apply. Immediately before the 1st day of April, 1974
C
the investigation of . this case was pending.
Saving clause (a) therefore, en·
joins that the said investigation shall be continued or made in accordance· with
Chapter XIV of the old Code. Section 167 of that Code could not enable
the Magistrate to remand the appellants to jail custody 6.uring the pendency
of the investigation. The police could seek the help of the Court for excr·
cise of its power of remand under section 344, bringing it to the notice of
the Court that sufficient evidence had been obtained to -raise a suspicion that
the appellants may have committed an offence and there will be hindrance to
D
the. obtaining bf further evidence Unless an order of remand was made.
{143C-D-144B-C]
E
F
Mr. Boucher Pierre Andra v. Superi1ucndent, · Central Jail, Til1ar,
Ne1v
Delhi and another, A.l.R. 1975 S.C. 164, referred to.
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION': Criminal Appeal No. 359
of 1974.
Appeal by special leave from the Judgment and order dated the
6th August 1974 of the Orissa High Court in Criminal Misc. Case
No. 180 of 1974.
Sharad Manohar, R. N. Nath and V. N. Ganpule, for the appellant.
Gobind Das, and B. Parthasarathi, for the respondent.
The Judgment of the Court w.a.s delivered by :-
UNTWALIA, J.-An occurrence took place on the 8th of March 1974
at a place situated in the District of Cuttack, Orissa. First Information Report was lodged on the 9th March, 74 and a police investigaG
tion started in connection with the offences alleged to have been comnJ.itted under sections 147, 148, 307, 302 simplicitcr as also with
the aid of section 149 of the Indian Penal Code.
The four appellaRts in this appeal by special leave were arrested by the police · in
the course of the investigation on the 8th March and four others
who have been enlarged on bail by the Sessions Judge of Cuttack
were arrested on the 14th March.
They were produced before the
H
Magistrate who remanc!ed them to jail custody from time to time.
The learned Sessions Judge released on bail four of the accused but
~sed to grant bail to the appellants.
An argument based upon
,i'oviso (a) to sub-section (2) of section 167 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure 1973 (Act No. 2 of 1974) hereinafter referred to as the
New Cod~, was rejected by the Sessi~ns Judge relying on the saving
clause (a} of sub-section (2) of sectlon 484.
-
l
i
N. PARIDA v. ORISSA (Untwalfri, J.)
'The appellants approached the Orissa Ij:igh
Court and pressed
their cases for releasing them ou bail on merits as well as on the
ground of the provision of law aforesaid contained in the New Code.
A Bench of the High Court by its order dated the 6th August, 1974
has repelled the arguments put forward on behalf of the appellants
and dismissed their application for bail.
They have filec! the present
appeal by special leave of this Court.
This Court is not expected to examfoe afresh the question of releasing the appellants on bail on merits. But the qllestion for consideration
is
whether
the
appellants
are
entitled
to
be
released on bail under the proviso (a) of section
167(2) of the New
139
B
Code.
C
A
>-
,
The New Code came into force
on aml from the 1st of April,
-
1974. Section 484(1) repealed the Coc!e
of Criminal Procednre,
4
1898-hereinafter called the Old Code. But there were certain saving clauses engrafted in sub-section ( 2); the relevant clause
(a)
would be adverted to hereinafter in this juc!gment.
Before doing so . D
it is necessary to appreciate the position of law in relation to the
power of remand by a Magistrate during the course of investigation
of a case by the police.
A person arrested without warrant could not be detamed by a
police officer for a period exceeding 24 hours as provic!ed in section
61 of the Old Code.
Section 167(1) required the police officer to
forward the accused to the nearest Magistrate if the investigation could
not be completed within the period of 24 hours fixed by section 61
anc! if there were grounds for believing that the accusation or information was well-founded.
Sub-section (2) provided :
"The Magistrate to whom an acFused person is forwarded under this section may, whether he has or has not juris- ,
diction to try the case, from time to time authorise the detention of the accused in such custody as st1eh Magistrate thinks
fit, for a term not exceeding fifteen days on the whole. If
he has not jurisdiction to try the case or commit it for trial,
and considers further detention unnecessary, he may order
the accused to be forwarded to a Magistrate having such juriseiction : "
E
F
The Magistrate to whom the accused was forwarded could remand
him t.o police custody or jail. c!IStody for a term not exceec!ing 15
days m the whole under section 167(2). Even the Magistrate who
had jurisdiction to try the case could not remand the accused to any
H
custody beyond the period of 15 c!ays under section 167(2) of the
Old Code.
There was no other section which in clear or express
languag~ conferred this po:ver of remand on the Magistrate beyol)d
the penpd of 15 days durmg the pendency of the investigation an<!
before the taking of cognizance on the submission of Charge-Sheet.
Section 344, however, enabled the Magistrate to postpone the com-
140
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1975] SUPP. S.C.ll.
A
mencement of any enquiry or trial fov any reasonable cause.
The
explanation to section 344 of the Old Code read as follows :
B
"If sufficient evidence bas been obtained to raise a suspicion that the accused may have committed an offence,
and it appears likely that further evidence may be obtained
by a remand, this is a reasonable cause for a remand."
Various High Courts had taken the view that a Magistrate having
jurisdiction to try a case could remand an accused to jail custody
from time to time during the pen<!ency of the investigation in exercise of the power under section 344 :
to wit, The Superintendent
and Remembrancer of Legal Affairs, Government of West Bengal v ..
C
Bidhindra Kumar Roy and others('); Chandradi Dubey v.
The
State( 2 ), Dukhi and another v. State and anolher(") ; Shriial
Nandram
and another v.
R. R. Agrawal,
S.
D.
M.
First
Class, Gwalior and another(') and State of Kera/a v.
Madhavan
Kuttan( 5 ). A contrary view was taken by the Orissa High Court in
the case of Artatran Mahasuara and others v. State of Orissa(6 ). It
D
may be emphasised here that the Court will have inherent power of
remand of an accused to any eustacy unless the power is conferred
by law.
In the order under appeal the High Court without reference
to section 344 of the Old Code, seems to have assumed that such
a power existed.
That is not correct.
There are two decisions of this Court affirming the view expressed
E by majority of the High Courts and over-ruling the one taken by
the Orissa High Court in the case referred
to above.
In A.
Lakshmanarao v. Judicial-Magistrate, First Class Parvatipuram and
others(") an argument was
advanced
that section 344 falling
in
Chapter 24 of the Old Code which contained general provisions as
to enquiries and trials could not apply to a case which was at the·
stage of investigation and collection of evidence only.
Dua, J delivering the judgment on be)lalf oE this Court repelled the argument
thus at page 506.
G
H
"This argument appears to !!S to be negativecl by the
express language both of sub-section (I-A) and the explanation.
Under sub-section (1-A) the commencement of the
inquiry or trial can also be postponed.
This clearly seems
to refer to the stage prior to the commencement of the inquiry.
The explanation makes it clear beyond doubt that
reasonable cause as mentioned in sub-section ( 1-A) includes
the likelihood of obtaining further evidence during investigation by securing a remand.
The language of section 344
is unambiguous and clear an<!
the fact that this section
occurs in Chapter 24 which contains general provisions as
(') A.t.R. 1949. Calcutta, 143.
(') 1955 Bihar Law Journal Reports, 323.
§
A.I.R. 1955, Allahabad, 521.
( A.LR. 1960, Madhya Pradesh, 135.
( A.I.R. 1964, Kerala, 232.
(6) A.I.R 1956 Orissa. 129
(7) [1970] 3 s.c.c
' -
• -
I -
i
- '
,
N. PARIDA v. ORISSA (Untwalia, !.)
to inquiries and trials does not justify a strained construction.''.
In Gouri Shankar !ha v. The State of Bihar and others(') Shela!,
J. delivering the judgment on behalf of the Court has said at page
569
"In cases falling under section 167, a magistrate undoubtedly can order .custoc!y for a period at the most of
fifteen days in the whole and such custody can be either
police or jail custody.
Section 344, on . the. oth~r hand,
appears in Chapter XXIV which deal with mqumes and
trials.
Further, the custody which it speaks of is not such
custody as 'the magistrate thinks fit as in Section 167, but
only jail custody, the objecc being that once an enquiry or
a trial begins it is not proper to let the accused remain under
police influence.
Under this section, a magistrate can remand an accused person to custody for a term not exceeding
fifteen days at a time provided that sufficient evidence has
been collected to raise a suspicion that such an accusec!
person may have committed an offence and it appears likely
that further evidence may be obtained by granting a remand."
Further says the learned Judge at page 570 :
"The fact that Section 344 occurs in the Chapter dealing with inquiries and trials does not mean that it does uot
141
A
B
c
D
apply to cases in which the proces& of investigation anc!
E
collection of evidence is still going on."
It would thus be seen that under the Old Code the Magistrate
was given the power under section 344 to remand an accused to
jail custody as the section was also applicable to cases in which process of investigation and collection of evidence was going on.
In
other words, the power of remanc! by the Magistrate during
the
F
process of investigation and collection of evidence was an integral
part of the process.
The power was meant to be exercised, whenever necessary, to aid the investigation and collection of further evidence.
Let us now examine the position of law under the New Code.
No police officer can detain a person in custody, arrested without a
warrant, for a perioc! longer than 24 hours as mentioned in section
57 corresponding to section 61 of the Old Code.
Section 167 occurring in Chapter XII bearing the heading "Information to
the
police and their powers to investigate"-the same as in Chapter XIV
of the Old Code-has made some dr,astic departure. Similar is the
position in regard to section 309 of the New Code corresponding to
section 344 of the Old Code.
While retaining the provision of forwarding the accused to the nearest Magistrate (of course under the
New
Code
to
the
Judicial
Magistrate),
and
while
authorising the Magistrate to remand the accusec! to either police or
judicial custody for a period not exceeding 15 days, proviso (a) has
been added in these terms :
(1) [1972] 1 s.c.c. 564.
G
H
142
SUPREME CO\.JRT REPORTS
[1975] SUPP. s.c.R.
A
"Provided thatB
c
D
( a) the Magistrate may authorise detention of the accused
person, otherwise than in custody of the police, beyond the
period of fifteen days if he is satisfied that adequate grounds
exist for doing so, but no Magistrate shall authorise
the
detention of the accused person in custody under this section
for a total period exceeding sixty days, and on the expiry
of the said period of sixty days, the accusecl person shall be
released on bail if he is prepared to and does furnish bail;
and every person released on baH under this section shall
be deemed to be so rclcasecl under the provisions of Chapter XXXIII for the purposes of that Chapter ;"
The expression "the Magistrate" in the proviso would mean the
Magistrate having jurisdiction to try the case.
Section 309
.(2)
says :
"If the Court, after taking cognizance of an offence,
or commencement of trial, finds it necessary or advisable to
postpone the commencement of, or adjourn, any inquiry or
trial, it may, from time to time, for reasons to be recorded,
postpone or adjourn the same on such terms as it thinks
fit, for such time as it considers reasonable, and may by a
warrant remand the accused if in custody :
E
Although the expression 'reasonable cause' occurring in sub-section
(lA) of section 344 is no where to be found in section 309 of the
New Code, the explanation to section 344 of the Old Code has been
retained as Explanation 1 to Section 309 in the identical language.
The law as engraj'ted in proviso (a) to section~ 167(2) and section
309 ( 2) of the New Code confers the powers of remand to jail cusF
tody during the pendency of the investigation only under the former
and not under the latter.
Section 309(2) is attracted only after
cognizance of an offence has been taken or commencement of trial
has proceeded. In such a situation what is the purpose of Explanation-I in section 309 is not quite clear.
But then .the command of
the Legislature in proviso (a) is that the accused person has got
to be released on bail if he is prepared to ancl does furnish ba;t and
cannot be kept in d"'ention beyond the period of 60 days evw if
G the investigation may still be proceeding.
In serious offences
of
criminal conspiracy-murders, dacoities, robberies by inter-state gangs
or the like, it may not be possible for the police, in the circumstances
as they do exist in the various parts of our country, to complete the
investigation within the period of 60 days.
Yet the intention of the
Legislature seems. to be to grant no discretion to the court and to .make
it obligatory for 1t to release the accused on bail.
Of cm1rs~, it has
H
been provided in proviso (a) that the accused released on b~il: under
section 167 will be deemed to be so released under the provlSlons of
Chapter XXXIII and for the purposes of that Chapter. That may
empower the court releasing him on bail, if it conside~s necessary so
to clo to direct that such person be arrested and comnutted to custody
as pr~vided in sub-section ( 5) of section 4.3 7 occurring ir_i Chapter
XXXIII.
It is also clear that after the takmg of the cognizance the
..
' -
)
N, PARIDA v. ORISSA ( Untwa/ia, J.)
143
power of remand is to be exercised under section 309 of the New
Code.
But if it is not possible to complete the investigation withiu
a period of 60 days then even in serious and ghastly types of crimes
the accused will be entitled to be released on bail.
Such a law may
be a " paradise for the criminals," but surely it would not be so, as
sometimes it is supposed to be, because of the courts. It would be
so under the command of the Legislature.
But the question In this case is whether during the pendency of
the investigation which started before coming into f9rce of the New
Code the appellants can press into service proviso (a) to section 167
(2) of that Code and claim to be released on bail as a matter of right
when they are prepared to furnish bail.
The answer to this qnestion
depends on the interpretation of sections 167 and 484 of the New
Code.
Unlike the wordings of section 428 the language of section
167(1) which will govern sub-section (2) also, is-"whenever any
person is arrested", suggesting thereby that the section would be attracted when the arrest is made after coming into force of the Act.
While the expression used in section 428 is "where an accused person has, on conviction, been sentenced ...... " Interpreting such a phrase
it has been held in the case of Mr. Boucher Pierre Andra v. Snperintendent, Central Jail, Tihar, New Delhi and another(') by Bhagwati, J.
delivering the judgment of this Court at page 166 :
"This section, on a plain natural
construction of its
language, posits for its applicability of fact situation which
is described by the clause "Where an accused person has,
on conviction, been sentenced to imprisonment for a term".
There is. nothing in this clause which suggests, either expressly or by necessary implication, that the conviction and
sentence must be after the coming into force of the New
Code of Criminal Procedure.''
We may, however, hasten to add tha.t in spite of the phrase "is
arrestee" occurring in section.167(1), since the Old Code has been
repealed by sub-section (1) of section 484 of the New Code, the
provision would have applied, a fortiori, if the savings provided in
sub-section (2) would not have applied to the situation with which
we are concerned in this case.
In our judgment clause (a) of subsection (2) of section 484 does apply. It reads as follows :
"Notwithstanding such repeal,-
A
B
c
D
E
F
G
(a) If, immediately, before the date on which this Code
comes into force, there is any appeal, application, trial, inquiry or investigation pending, then, such appeal, application,
trial, inquiry or investigation shall be disposed of, continued,
held or made, as the case may be, in accordance with the
H
provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure J 898, as in
force immediately before such commencement, (hereinafter
referred to as the Old Code), as if this Code had not come
into force :"
(1) A.LR.I 975 S.C. 16t
144
A
B
c
D
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
(1975) SUPP, S.C.R.
linmcdiately before the !st day of April, 1974 tbe investigation
of this case was pending.
Saving clause (a) therefore enjoins t)iat
tbe said investigation shall be continued ·or made in accordance with
tbe provisions of the Okl Code. The police officer, therefore, making the investigation has to continue and complete it in accordance
with Chapter XIV of the Old Code.
Section 167 of that Code could
not enable tbe Magistrate to remand the -appellants to jail custody
during the pendency of the investigation.
The police could seek
the help of the Court for exercise of its power of remand un<.'cr
section 344, bringing it to the notice of the Court that sufficient evidence ,had been obtained to raise a suspicion that the appellants may
have committed an offence and there will be hindrance to the obtaining of further evidence unless an order of remand was made.
As
we have said above, invoking the power of tbe court uneer section
344 of the Old Code by the Investigating Officer would be a part of
the process of investigation which is to be continued and made in
accordance with the Old Code. That being so,
we hold that
the
appellants in this case cannot claim to be released uncer proviso (a)
to section 167 (2) of the New Code.
In the result the appeal fails and is dismissed.
Appeal dismissed.
V. M. K.
, -
--