Section 175 of CRPC "Power to summon persons"
(1) A police officer proceeding under section 174 may, by order
in writing, summon two or more persons as aforesaid for the
purpose of the said investigation, and any other person who
appears to be acquainted with the facts of the case and every
person so summoned shall be bound to attend and to answer truly
all questions other than questions the answers to which would
have a tendency to expose him to a criminal charge or to a
penalty or forfeiture.
(2) If the facts do not disclose a cognizable offence to which
section 170 applies, such persons shall not be required by the
police officer to attend a Magistrate's Court.
Section 176 of CRPC "Inquiry by Magistrate into cause of death"
(1)1[2* * * when the case is of the nature referred to in clause (i) or clause (ii) of sub-section (3) of section 174], the nearest Magistrate empowered to hold inquests shall, and in any other case mentioned in sub-section (1) of section 174, any Magistrate so empowered may hold an inquiry into the cause of death either instead of, or in addition to, the investigation held by the police officer; and if he does so, he shall have all the powers in conducting it which he would have in holding an inquiry into an offence.
3[(1A) Where,-
(a) any person dies or disappears, or
(b) rape is alleged to have been committed on any woman,
while such person or woman is in the custody of the police or in any other
custody authorised by the Magistrate or the Court, under this Code in
addition to the inquiry or investigation held by the police, an inquiry
shall be held by the Judicial Magistrate or the Metropolitan Magistrate, as
the case may be, within whose local jurisdiction the offence has been
committed.]
(2) The Magistrate holding such an inquiry shall record the evidence taken by him in connection therewith in any manner hereinafter prescribed according to the circumstances of the case.
(3) Whenever such Magistrate considers it expedient to make an examination of the dead body of any person who has been already interred, in order to discover the cause of his death, the Magistrate may cause the body to be disinterred and examined.
(4) Where an inquiry is to be held under this section, the Magistrate
shall, wherever practicable, inform the relatives of the deceased whose
names and addresses are known, and shall allow them to remain present at the
inquiry.
3[(5) The Judicial Magistrate or the Metropolitan Magistrate or Executive
Magistrate or police officer holding an inquiry or investigation, as the
case may be, under sub-section (1A) shall, within twenty-four hours of the
death of a person, forward the body with a view to its being examined to the
nearest Civil Surgeon or other qualified medical person appointed in this
behalf by the State Government, unless it is not possible to do so for
reasons to be recorded in writing.]
Explanation.-In this section, the expression relative means parents, children, brothers, sisters and spouse.
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1. Subs. by, s. 4, ibid., for certain words (w.e.f. 25-12-1983).
2. Certain words omitted by Act 25 of 2005, s. 18 (w.e.f. 23-6-2006).
3. Ins. by Act 25 of 2005, s. 18 (w.e.f. 23-6-2006).