When accused shall be discharged
Full Text
(1) If, upon taking all the evidence referred to in section 267, 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.
Plain English Summary
Provides for the discharge of an accused in a complaint-based warrant case if the prosecution evidence is insufficient.
Key Legal Elements
- Specific to complaint-based warrant cases
- Discharge occurs if prosecution evidence fails to make out a prima facie case
- Magistrate must record reasons for discharge
- Power to discharge at ANY previous stage if the charge is groundless
Practical Note
Unlike police report cases where discharge usually happens before evidence, in complaint cases, it often happens after initial evidence (Section 267). However, Sub-section (2) gives the Magistrate the flexibility to discharge the accused even earlier if the case is clearly groundless.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) यदि, धारा 267 में निर्दिष्ट सभी साक्ष्य लेने पर, मजिस्ट्रेट दर्ज किए जाने वाले कारणों से यह मानता है कि अभियुक्त के विरुद्ध ऐसा कोई मामला नहीं बनता है, जो यदि खंडन न किया जाए, तो उसकी दोषसिद्धि के लिए पर्याप्त होगा, तो मजिस्ट्रेट उसे उन्मोचित (discharge) कर देगा।
(2) इस धारा की कोई भी बात मजिस्ट्रेट को मामले के किसी भी पिछले चरण में अभियुक्त को उन्मोचित करने से नहीं रोकेगी, यदि ऐसे मजिस्ट्रेट द्वारा दर्ज किए जाने वाले कारणों से वह आरोप को निराधार मानता है।