Type of documents in police file

                      

                              Any officer-in-charge of a police station/SHO can investigate any cognizable offence within the jurisdiction of the police station without any order of a magistrate. For which he is empowered u/s 156 criminal procedure code. On receipt of information of an offence, SHO himself proceed to the spot where offence has occurred or shall depute his subordinate officer to proceed to the spot to investigate the facts of the case u/s 157 Criminal Procedure code. While investigating the case, investigating officer enters his proceedings in a diary of the investigation on day to day basis, He enters full detail of the investigated case  in the diary, the time at which he begun  and closed his investigation every day. After  every case diary, he encloses the concerned documents. In this  way a file of investigation  is prepared which is submitted to the court for judicial verdict. Generally a police file of investigation contains following types of documents which are produced before trial court as evidence in the case and police file is made up of following types of documents which may vary from a few to thousands depending upon the evidence and type of the case :

• Copy of the FIR : Every information of a cognizable offence is entered in FIR register maintained at police station (u/s 154 CrPC). Copy of FIR is given free of cost to the complainant.

• Original application of the complainant, if any.

• Copy of daily diary entries : A daily diary register is maintained at every police station in which all the entries of the police station working are entered on day to day basis.  Copies of the entries related to the case under investigation are attached with case file as evidence.

• Spot inspection map : Investigating officer prepares  a map of place of occurrence of offence where he describes the place of occurrence  and attaches it with the case file.

• Seizure memo : The following type of articles are generally taken into possession during investigation of the case as evidence through seizure memo:

1. Documents
2. Weapon of offence
3. Other articles which are linked to commission of offence

                              The seizure memo is prepared in presence of two independent witnesses of the localities and articles seized  are sealed in their presence and  seizure memo is signed by the witnesses (u/s 100(4) CrPC).

• Documents taken into possession : All documents taken into possession through seizure memo during investigation of the case are attached with case file. Other documents like arrest report, bail-bonds, sureties  photographs  or any video, opinion of experts etc. are also attached with case file.

• Statements : Statements  in the case under investigation are recorded u/s 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The statements u/s 161 CrPC are not signed by the witnesses

• Final report of the case : Discussed in previous report.

• Conviction slip : Conviction slip is prepared by  officer-in-charge of a police station  and is attached with case file which is returned to the concerned police station by the court after the decision of the case.