Recording of statement of a child
Full Text
(1) The statement of the child shall be recorded at the residence of the child or at a place where he usually resides or at the place of his choice and as far as practicable by a woman police officer not below the rank of sub-inspector.
(2) The police officer while recording the statement of the child shall not be in uniform.
(3) The police officer making the investigation, shall, while examining the child, ensure that at no point of time the child come in the contact in any way with the accused.
(4) No child shall be detained in the police station in the night for any reason.
(5) The police officer shall ensure that the identity of the child is protected from the public media, unless otherwise directed by the Special Court in the interest of the child.
Plain English Summary
Mandates child-friendly police procedures: recording statement at the child residence in plain clothes by a female officer (Sub-Inspector or above), zero contact with the accused, prohibition of overnight police custody, and media identity shielding.
Key Legal Elements
- Recording statement at child residence or chosen place by woman officer not below Sub-Inspector rank
- Mandatory requirement that police officer must not be in uniform
- Absolute bar on child coming into contact with the accused at any point
- Strict prohibition against detaining child at police station overnight for any reason
- Mandatory protection of child identity from public media
Practical Note
Breach of Section 24 procedures (e.g. recording in uniform at the police station or keeping the child overnight) is heavily attacked by defence counsel as procedural illegality and potential coaching, though courts hold that minor technical lapses alone do not discard truthful victim testimony.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) बालक का कथन बालक के निवास स्थान पर अथवा ऐसे स्थान पर जहां वह सामान्यतः निवास करता है या उसकी पसंद के स्थान पर और जहां तक साध्य हो, उपनिरीक्षक (सब-इंस्पेक्टर) से अनिम्न पंक्ति की महिला पुलिस अधिकारी द्वारा दर्ज किया जाएगा।
(2) बालक का कथन दर्ज करते समय पुलिस अधिकारी वर्दी में नहीं होगा।
(3) अन्वेषण करने वाला पुलिस अधिकारी बालक की परीक्षा करते समय यह सुनिश्चित करेगा कि बालक किसी भी समय और किसी भी रूप में अभियुक्त के संपर्क में न आए।
(4) किसी भी बालक को किसी भी कारण से रात में पुलिस थाने में नहीं रोका जाएगा।
(5) पुलिस अधिकारी यह सुनिश्चित करेगा कि सार्वजनिक मीडिया से बालक की पहचान सुरक्षित रहे, जब तक कि विशेष न्यायालय द्वारा बालक के हित में अन्यथा निर्देश न दिया गया हो।