(Law Firm)
FAIR AND PROPER INVESTIGATION IS THE
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PRIMARY DUTY OF THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER
CRIMINAL MISC. WRIT PETITION No. - 15692 of 2020
The High Court held that an informant who feels that a proper or
fair investigation is not being done by the investigating officer
may approach the Magistrate for relief by moving an application
under Section 156(3), CrPC, instead of invoking the writ
jurisdiction of the High Court under Article 226 of the
Constitution of India.
In the course of the order, the Court also underscored that,
"Fair and proper investigation is the primary duty of the
investigating officer. In every civilized society, the police force is
invested with powers of investigation of a crime to secure
punishment for the criminal and it is in the interest of the society
that the investigating agency must act honestly and fairly and not
resort to fabricating false evidence or creating false clues only
with a view to secure conviction because such acts shake the
confidence of the common man not only in the investigating
agency but in the ultimate analysis in the system of dispensation
of criminal justice. Proper result must be obtained by recourse to
proper means, otherwise it would be an invitation to anarchy..."
The Court was dealing with a batch of similar petitions.
These Petitions were filed under Article 226 of the Constitution
with a prayer to direct the Police authorities to carry out a fair
and proper investigation in various criminal cases.
The petitioners had argued that if the investigating agency is not
functioning properly, the High Court has power to issue
appropriate directions under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India. Further, it was submitted that once the power is available
to the High Court, there is no need to invoke the powers of the
concerned Magistrate under Section 156(3) of the Code of
Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
A CASE STUDY OR ANALYSIS OF 156(3) CrPC By Adv. SK Singh Page 1 of 3

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(Law Firm)
Questions formulated by the Court
-> Whether the concerned Magistrate has the power to direct the
police authority concerned for fair and proper investigation?
-> Whether the petitioners are justified to file writ petitions
under Article 226 of the Constitution of India without
approaching the concerned Magistrate under Section 156(3) of
the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 for fair and proper
investigation?
Findings of the Court
To decide on the matter, the Court extensively analyzed various
provisions of the CrPC.
On rule of law and fair investigation in a criminal case, the Court
observed that the criminal justice system mandates that "any
investigation into the crime should be fair, in accordance with
law and should not be tainted."
Among other findings, it was held:
"It is equally important that interested or influential persons are
not able to misdirect or hijack the investigation, so as to throttle
a fair investigation resulting in the offenders escaping a punitive
course of law. These are important facets of the rule of law.
Breach of rule of law amounts to negation of equality under
Article 14 of the Constitution of India."
Criminal Procedure and Article 21
The Court, while discussing the scope of Article 21 of the
Constitution (right to life and personal liberty) observed that:
"A fair trial includes fair investigation as reflected from
Articles 20 and 21 of the Constitution of India. If the
investigation is neither effective nor purposeful nor objective nor
fair, the courts may if considered necessary, may order fair
investigation, further investigation or reinvestigation as the case
may be to discover the truth so as to prevent miscarriage of
justice."
A CASE STUDY OR ANALYSIS OF 156(3) CrPC By Adv. SK Singh Page 2 of 3

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(Law Firm)
Reliance was also placed on various decisions like Menka
Gandhi's case, Subramanian Swamy v. CBI and
Commissioner of Police, Delhi v. Registrar, Delhi High
Court. The Court stated that Article 21 of the Constitution
makes it clear that the procedure in criminal trials must be "right,
just and fair, but not arbitrary." The proper remedy under 156(3),
not Article 226
The Court concluded that in cases where there is a need for
'proper investigation', the powers vested with the Magistrate are
wide enough to to issue appropriate directions.. Reliance was
placed on various rulings including the Supreme Court's ruling
in Vinubhai Haribhai Malviya v. State, where it was
observed that, "Magistrate's power under Section 156(3) of the
CrPC is very wide, for it is this judicial authority that must be
satisfied that a proper investigation by the police takes place. To
ensure that a 'proper investigation' takes place in the sense of a
fair and just investigation by the police - which such Magistrate
is to supervise - Article 21 of the Constitution of India mandates
that all powers necessary, which may also be incidental or
implied, are available to the Magistrate to ensure a proper
investigation which, without doubt, would include the Ordering
of further investigation."
Ultimately, the Court advised the Petitioners to approach the
concerned Magistrate and dismissed all the petitions
accordingly.
The Court said that the informant/ petitioner may "approach the
concerned Magistrate by moving an application under Section
156(3) Cr.P.C. for appropriate orders instead of invoking writ
jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India."
Knowledge and content of about Many of the judgments are also
taken from them websites of Hon'ble Supreme Court and other
respective Hon'ble High Courts!
A CASE STUDY OR ANALYSIS OF 156(3) CrPC By Adv. SK Singh Page 3 of 3