No police officer shall detain in custody a person arrested without warrant for a longer period than under all the circumstances of the case is reasonable, and such period shall not, in the absence of a special order of a Magistrate under section 167, exceed twenty-four hours exclusive of the time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to the Magistrate’s Court.

A police officer making an arrest without warrant shall, without unnecessary delay and subject to the provisions herein contained as to bail, lake or send the person arrested before a Magistrate having jurisdiction in the case, or before the officer in charge of a police station.

Where a person is arrested on a charge of committing an offence and his identification by any other person or persons is considered necessary for the purpose of investigation of such offence, the Court, having jurisdiction, may on the request of the officer in charge of a police station, direct the person so arrested to subject himself to identification by any person or persons in such manner as the Court may deem fit.

Provided that, if the person identifying the person arrested is mentally or physically disabled, such process of identification shall take place under the supervision of a Judicial Magistrate who shall take appropriate steps to ensure that such person identifies the person arrested using methods that person is comfortable with;¹

Provided further that if the person identifying the person arrested is mentally or physically disabled, the identification process shall be video graphed.¹

¹ Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013

1. The accused shall then be called upon to enter upon his defence and produce his evidence; and if the accused puts in any written statement, the Magistrate shall file it with the record.
2. If the accused, after he had entered upon his defence, applies to the Magistrate to issue any process for compelling the attendance of any witness for the purpose of examination or cross-examination, or the production of any document or other thing, the Magistrate shall issue such process unless he considers that such application should be refused on the ground that it is made for the purpose of vexation or delay or for defeating the ends of justice and such ground shall be recorded by him in writing:

   Provided that, when the accused has cross-examined or had the opportunity of cross-examining any witness before entering on his defence, the attendance of such witness shall not be compelled under this section, unless the Magistrate is satisfied that it is necessary for the ends of justice.

3. The Magistrate may, before summoning any witness on an application under Sub-Section (2), require that the reasonable expenses incurred by the witness in attending for the purposes of the trial be deposited in Court.

1. If the accused refuses to plead or does not plead, or claims to be tried or the Magistrate does not convict the accused under section 241 the Magistrate shall fix a date for the examination of witnesses.

   Provided that the Magistrate shall supply in advance to the accused, the statement of witnesses recorded during investigation by the police.

2. The Magistrate may, on the application of the prosecution, issue a summons to any of its witnesses directing him to attend or to produce any document or other thing,
3. On the date so fixed, the Magistrate shall proceed to take all such evidence as may be produced in support of the prosecution:

   Provided that the Magistrate may permit the cross-examination of any witness to be deferred until any other witness or witnesses have been examined or recall any witness for further cross-examination.

1. When a person who is arrested, whether on a charge or otherwise, alleges, at the time when he is produced before a Magistrate or at any time during the period of his detention in custody that the examination of his body will afford evidence which will disprove the commission by him of any offence or which will establish the commission by any other person of any offence against his body, the Magistrate shall, if requested by the arrested person so to do direct the examination of the body of such person by a registered medical practitioner unless the Magistrate considers that the request is made for the purpose of vexation or delay or for defeating the ends of justice.
2. Where an examination is made under Sub-Section (1), a copy of the report of such examination shall be furnished by the registered medical practitioner to the arrest person or the person nominated by such arrested person.

If the accused pleads guilty, the Magistrate shall record the plea and may, in his discretion, convict him thereon.